Childhood Trauma
by Ultrawoman
Summary: COMPLETE. Almost a year after 'So Mote It Be' around ‘Real Me’ now Dawn is sick of being treated like a kid, and wishes her sister and the Scoobies could understand how she feels. On the Hellmouth, sometimes wishes come true...
1. Chapter 1

A/N : This so wasn't supposed to happen! No more WIPs, never more than two at once, I promised myself, but apparenty the only way I can fix my writers block is to start a new story so here it is, the unexpected sequel to So Mote It Be...

Title : Childhood Trauma  
Rating : PG  
Summary : Almost a year after So Mote It Be (around 'Real Me' now) Dawn is sick of being treated like a kid, and wishes her sister and the Scoobies could understand how she feels. On the Hellmouth, sometimes wishes come true...  
Disclaimer : Joss owns all the characters and the Buffy-verse in general, as well as the Angel-verse, which I'm mentioning just in case I cross into that later.

Chapter 1

"You have no idea how lucky you are!" Dawn said over dramatically into the cordless phone as she paced up and down her room, one arm waving in big gestures that were pointless since Janice, on the other end of the line, could not see.

"A younger sister would be so cool, but no, I got an older one, and Buffy is such a freak, she..." the brunette stopped abruptly when the very same sister she was talking about appeared in the bedroom doorway, arms folded over her chest and looking very annoyed.

"Yeah, I'm still here" Dawn told her friend, "but so is _she_" she said giving Buffy a nasty look. The Slayer rolled her eyes and waited for her kid sister to finish her call and hang up.

"You have no right to listen to my private calls" the youngest Summers snapped as Buffy came over and took the phone from her hands.

"Like I want to" she scoffed, "I just need the phone for myself, and hello, you weren't exactly being quiet!"

"I can do what I want in my own room" Dawn told her, chasing out of the door and following her down the stairs where the Scoobies were assembled for a meeting.

"Dawnie, go back to your room and stop acting like such a baby in front of everybody" Buffy told her quietly, signalling her attention to the fact that the whole gang was present in the living room.

"I am _not_ a baby" he sister protested, "I'm fourteen years old!"

"Well, that still makes you a kid, and it's way past your bed-time, so go!" Buffy snapped, pointing up the stairs.

"Don't try to make me look stupid just because your friends are here!" Dawn yelled back as Willow, Xander, Tara, and Anya, shifted uncomfortably in the background, "I don't have to go to bed yet, Mom said I can stay up to say hi to Spike" she said, sticking out her tongue like a much younger child than she really was.

"Fine" Buffy rolled her eyes, "not that my boyfriend has any interest in a kid like you" she said almost too nastily, "If you have to stay up you might as well be useful. Go to the kitchen and see if Mom and Giles want help bringing the snacks"

"Whatever" Dawn shrugged, before flouncing off to the kitchen as instructed.

Buffy apologised to her friends who talked quietly amongst themselves as she dialled the number to Spike's cell phone and waited for him to pick up. She was so glad she'd bought him a cell, it stopped her from worrying quite so much when he didn't show at meetings on time.

She smiled as she glanced at the photos' in frames on the shelf in front of her. Right beside a picture of her and Spike, was another of the two of them but looking so much different. It had been taken under a spell Willow had cast, that had turned both Slayer and vampire into five years olds. It was during their 'tiny tots phase' as Spike called it that they'd realised what they really meant to each other and now here they were in love.

"Damn!" she cursed as her call got redirected and an electronic voice told her to leave a message. As she opened her mouth to do so, something strange happened, the weirdest feeling that she would never be able to explain. Suddenly the world was a much bigger and scarier place and she really wanted her Mommy.

* * *

"You guys do know I could mentally scarred for life if you keep doing that in front of me, right?" Dawn complained good-naturedly as she came into the kitchen and found her Mom and Giles in a lip-lock. She actually really liked her sister's Watcher and wasn't as appalled as she acted by the fact he was dating her mother.

"One day when you're older, you'll understand" Joyce explained as Giles stepped back and allowed her to finish putting chips into bowls and cans of soda on a tray to carry through to the Scoobies.

"Why does everybody think I'm such a kid?" Dawn over-reacted badly after her little spat with her sister.

"Honestly Dawn, we don't think that at all" Giles told her kindly.

"Buffy does" she said grumpily, "her and her friends all think I'm a kid, and they have no idea what it's like to be the youngest"

"Well, sweetie, there's really no way that they could" her mother told her, pushing her little girl's hair from her face.

"I wish they did know" Dawn said, pouting like the child she was trying not to be, "I wish Buffy and her stupid Scooby friends were younger than me, then they'd know how it feels!" she said angrily. She got in such a little temper, Giles half expected her to stamp her feet and start crying, he was grateful however, when she didn't.

"Dawnie, why don't you take these chips through to the living room for me" Joyce asked her as she handed her two bowls, "and try to understand, honey, that Buffy only treats you the way she does because she cares about you, and she wants to protect you"

"Yeah, right" Dawn seemed unconvinced as she headed off through the door.

Giles and Joyce shared a glance as they picked up the rest of the drinks and snacks and followed the fourteen year old into the living room.

Nobody saw the vein-covered face by the back door, or heard the whispered words.

"Wish granted"

To Be Continued...

A/N2 : I know it's v. short, but it's just the intro, there will be more soon. In the meantime, please review and give me an idea as to whether you like the idea, I'm not too sure about it yet...


	2. Chapter 2

A/N : Wow, I can't believe how many reviews I've got on this so far! Thanx so much to; Spikesgirl2626, vanillagigglez, Girl version of Chandler, Aisling-Siobhan, Moonjava, SlaYeRGiRLkaL, EMBER91, Demonica Mills, lil-leti, Hellmouth2, OnlyHaveEyesForYou, Celestia Nailo, Freezyboncoolipants, Daniel Wesley Rydell, spikespet2002, Xtremely-Canadian, LiLi, GoldenAngl88, Brunettepet, sheilamarie, KaiNscara, and sunnyhell. You guys rock, you really do, but I am so nervous now that this fic will not be as good as you expect. Fingers crossed that I can pull off something worthy enough of your praise. Twenty two reviews on such a short intro chapter, let's see whta kind of response this much longer second chapter can get, at the very least it should answer everybody's questions and wonderings...  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 2

Spike winced as he put his hand to the back of his head and encountered more blood that he would've liked. As a vampire the red stuff was one of his favourite substances but when it flowed from his own body it was a much less satisfying experience. A group of demons had jumped him on his way from his crypt to Revello Drive, the price for fighting on the side of good these days.

It was almost a year now since he'd had this chip stuck up his brain, but even without wires and silicon in his head, Spike knew he'd be fighting demons only these days. Just a couple of weeks after the commando boys saw to it he never harmed humans again, the vamp they called Hostile 17 had gone through another change, and spent almost a week as a small child of five years old, along with Buffy. They'd grown so close in that short time and when the spell was over their love held firm. It changed too, from children's affection to something deep and meaningful between them.

They were in love, in every sense of the word, though there was one way in which Spike and Buffy had yet to confirm it. He tried not to mind too much that every time they got close to being...close she stopped him. He didn't doubt her love for him, wouldn't dream of it since she'd proved her feelings in other ways. She'd even explained her reasons to him, the last two men she'd given herself too had ended up hurting her so badly, she was so petrified of it happening again.

Spike sighed as he reached the front door of the Slayer's house. He had plans for their upcoming anniversary, one year since she'd showed up at his crypt and told him how the bed, the house, her life was too empty without him there. When she'd kissed him then the world had spun out of focus and nothing had been the same since, and Spike didn't mind at all. Life wasn't all blood and peaches what with him being the former Big Bad and her being the Slayer, but they got by, and even the Scoobies had adjusted to having him around.

Spike raised his fist to knock on the door, a little concerned by the way his head was spinning and the fact the blood was coming from his head at an alarming rate. What worried him even more was that no-one was answering the door, even when he knocked a second time and suddenly he heard a scream and an almighty crash of breaking crockery.

"Bloody hell!" he swore as he stepped back and kicked out at the door, smashing it clean of the hinges. He rushed inside, feeling overly woozy as he arrived in the Summers' living room.

The sight that met his eyes didn't make sense at all. A shocked looking Joyce, Giles, and Nibblet stood rooted to the spot by the kitchen door, and there in the living room sat four small children, a fifth standing before him that he recognised only too well.

"Buffy?" he said shakily, swallowing hard as the strangest feeling of nausea washed over him. A moment later the world went black as the unconscious vampire hit the floor with a thump.

"Spike!" the young blonde girl shrieked as she rushed to him and knelt down at his side, "Mommy, we have to help Spikey!" she told Joyce urgently but her mother could only stare.

"Buffy?" she checked, as the small blonde turned the vampire over on the floor, stroking his hair back off his face. The situation wouldn't be half so strange if not for the fact Buffy was no longer her twenty year old self, but no more than six or seven.

"Mommy!" she squealed, her tone so high that the others wondered how anyone but dogs could hear her, "Giles, please, there's something wrong with Spike. He's bleeding and we have to help him!" she complained, tears coming to her eyes.

"Oh, erm, right" Giles snapped out of his trance first and moved to help the little Slayer get Spike up from the floor.

"Watcher?" he said groggily as his eyes flickered open and closed, "What the soddin' hell is going on?" he asked, looking around with bleary eyes.

"Rupert, take him upstairs" Joyce told her boyfriend and he did as he was told. She faced Dawn next as Buffy followed the two men up to the bedroom.

"Dawn what did you do?" her mother asked, as the girl continued to stare at the four kids in the living room - a girl with red hair, two blondes, and one brunette boy.

"I didn't..." she stammered, "Mom, I just said I wish and...I can't have done this!" she gasped, "Can I?"

"Well, somebody did something and I can't imagine it was anything other than magic, I just..." she trailed off as she too stared at the children in the room, who had all been a good ten and more years older than this just moments ago.

Willow scrambled to the floor and began to pick up the scattered Doritos and corn snacks that had been previously dropped. A moment later little Tara was also on her knees helping with the task. As one of them reached for a piece of broken crockery, Joyce stopped them.

"No, sweetheart" she told the red-head, "You leave the dishes, you might hurt yourself"

"Yes, Mrs Summers" she nodded dutifully, smiling all the time.

Joyce muttered something about cleaning up the mess as she went towards the kitchen, Dawn made to follow but her mother told her no.

"Dawn, could you stay here and keep an eye on the kids?" she asked her. The teen looked stunned.

"You want me to watch them!" she asked incredulously, "Mom, we can't just clean up and make everything better, something's happened. They're frickin' babies!" she half-yelled.

"Dawn, mind your language" her mother warned, "And I'm very aware that something strange has happened but right now my priority is cleaning up the dangerous mess in there. Then I'm going to check on Spike, Buffy, and Rupert, and only then will we be in a position to figure out what caused the..situation that's occurred" she said in full mother tone, "Now, go ahead, back into the living room, and make sure the kids are okay"

Dawn did as she was told, smiling a little at the concept her wish seemed to have come true. Okay so it was majorly weird seeing Xander as a child, what with her having crush on him and everything but he was so cute like this. Then there was little Willow, Tara, and Anya, who looked equally sweet if not a little inappropriately dressed in tops with plunging necklines and heels she was sure they couldn't walk on without falling and breaking their necks!

Anya was down from the chair she and Xander had been sharing and bending over to stare at the patch on the carpet where Spike had been bleeding.

"That vampire has made an awful mess" she stated, looking up at Dawn, "I'm certain your mother will be unhappy at having to replace such expensive looking floor coverings"

"Er, maybe" the youngest Summers replied awkwardly, the sight of so much blood turned her stomach and more so because she knew it had come from her friend. Spike was so great for Buffy, way better than Angel despite the fact he was a vampire too. He could love her unconditionally without a soul and he proved his feelings for her everyday with little romantic gestures and sweet words. Sometimes Dawn was almost jealous, but Spike was nice to her too and he was so great at being big brother. Seemed he was going to be playing that role for way more kids than just herself now she realised as she watched Xander surruptisciously pick up a couple of snacks from the floor and pop them in his mouth.

"Er, Xander, you shouldn't eat those when they've been on the floor" she told him, finding it so weird to have to tell a guy that ought to be six years older than her such a thing as this.

"Sorry" he said, looking terribly guilty as he swallowed hard.

"That's okay" Dawn nodded, "Just don't have anymore" she said, before realising Willow and Tara were standing by her, holding up handfuls of recovered food for the trash and Anya was seconds away from putting her hand in the bloody patch on the carpet.

"No!" Dawn snapped, startling Tara and making her drop broken Doritos and Cheetos all over the floor once again. In silence she scrambled to picked them up again and Willow helped her feeling bad for the blonde who had tears in her eyes. Dawn pulled Anya away from the mess on the carpet and pushed her back towards the chair where Xander waited. It was as she turned back she noticed Tara was physically shaking and Willow was talking softly to her telling her it as okay.

"Tara?" Dawn said carefully as she crouched down with the too younger girls, "You okay?"

"I-I-I dr-dropped them" she stammered, fighting tears, seemingly so afraid of getting into trouble far adding to the mess she'd been trying to help clean up.

"Oh, that's okay" Dawn assured her, turning around and fetching the waste paper basket, "Here" she told them to put all the snack they picked up from the floor into the trash and then turned back to Xander and Anya who were once again sharing a chair.

"...you're a very nicely shaped young man" she was telling him, as the poor boy struggled to put space between them, not at all thrilled at the prospect of having a girl touch him at all!

"This is crazy!" Dawn said to herself as she glanced around the room again, but she knew somehow it had to be her fault.

* * *

"Buffy, my dear, would you run down to your mother and ask her to bring up some medical supplies" Giles said as soon as he'd got Spike onto the bed, Buffy's own at her insistence.

"I have to stay with Spikey!" she protested in full whiney tone, but Giles held firm.

"Buffy the only way to help Spike right now is if you go and get the supplies from your mother like I asked" he told her and with a scathing look she finally did as she was told. As she left, pulling the door almost closed behind her, Spike exploded into a string of curses.

"Bloody buggerin' hell, Rupert. What the soddin' hell is going on here?" he wanted to know, sitting up fast and making his head spin all over again, still laying his head down was not really an option either, given the mess it was in and the way it throbbed at the back.

"I believe some kind of spell must have been cast" the Watcher explained as he took a closer look at Spike's main injury, "It is possible Dawn may inadvertently have caused Buffy, Xander, Willow, Tara, and Anya to revert to small children"

"You mean to tell me my girlfriend is...? That little chit really is Buffy?" he asked in astonishment, "How the bleedin' hell did the Nibblet do somethin' like that?" he wanted to know.

"She quite recklessly made a wish" Giles sighed, "Something far more dangerous when one lives on a Hellmouth than if one were to reside anywhere else of course. She was unhappy at being treated as a child, you see?" he explained, grimacing as his fingers became covered by the blood leaking from Spike's head, "She said that she wished Buffy and her assembled friends could understand what it was like to be younger siblings"

"And change-o prest-o, bite-sized Scooby club" the vampire sighed, "Reversible though right?" he checked, "I mean like me and the Slayer when we went through that tiny tots phase?"

"To be perfectly frank I'm not entirely certain" Giles admitted, "This all occurred just moments before you came through the door and you did steal a great deal of attention" he smiled wryly.

"Not on bloody purpose, mate" Spike snapped, "Though bloody's the right word, dunno why my head won't stop"

"There is rather a nasty gash here, it's not healing as fast as one might expect, but I'm sure it'll be fine" Giles explained as he looked to the door, wishing Buffy would hurry up with the supplies. As if she'd heard his thoughts she immediately came scrambling through the door with a couple of towels under one arm and a first aid box under the other.

"Thankyou, Buffy" her Watcher said as he took the things from her and worked on cleaning up Spike's head. All the time the young girl stared at the man who was her boyfriend just an hour ago. Now he wasn't sure where he stood with her, she was six maybe seven years old after all and he wasn't. In this form she was cute but naturally not attractive in a womanly sense, Spike would've staked himself on the spot should he have had the same feelings for mini-Buffy that he did for her adult self, that would be wrong on every imaginable level!

"What happened, Spike?" she asked him, hazel eyes shining with tears she could barely hold back, "Tell me what hurt you and I'll go slay it" she promised him earnestly.

"Er, Buffy" the vampire said awkwardly, feeling very strange in calling this little girl by the name of his would-be lover, "Sweetheart, you can't slay what hurt me, I already did that, just got a couple of lucky blows in 'fore I had the chance" he admitted, "Bloody hell, Watcher, go easy!" he growled at Giles, "Stings like a bugger that does" he told him as his wound was disinfected.

"One would think at the age of over a century, you would be a little less childish" the man who was older only in appearance snapped, as Spike drew away from the cotton padding being pushed on his aching head.

"Want me to do it?" Buffy offered and in perfect unison the two Englishman told her no.

There's was no way to be sure if the little girl was capable of doing it right was Giles' argument, where Spike was just uncertain how much of Buffy was still her and therefore very wary of letting her close to him. At this age, little girls could have big crushes on the men in their lives and given the nature of their relationship when she was a grown up, Spike didn't fancy having little Buffy getting all googly eyed around him, that would be a whole new level of weird.

"Right, all done" Giles announced as he taped the bandages over Spike's wound, "I imagine you'll feel light-headed for a while, it might be best if you were to stay here for tonight, especially whilst...everything else is going on" he said, with a slight glance at Buffy.

"Yes, you have to stay here" she agreed with a firm nod, "I can help look after you, and Mommy too, we'll help you get better" she grinned.

"Sure you will, luv" the vampire smiled uneasily, glad he usually avoided saying the blonde's name anyway. He couldn't call her Buffy, couldn't think of her as such, not like this, "Er, you think you could run down and ask Mum if there's some blood going spare in the fridge?" he asked her, though the very thought of eating made his stomach tighten awfully, he wanted her out of the room "Feelin' a bit peckish, I am"

"One mug of blood, coming right up" she smiled sweetly as she headed for the door. As she left, Spike sighed.

"That ain't gonna be at all awkward now is it?" he said to Giles, "Little Bitty Buffy having eyes for yours truly" he sighed, "As the lady herself might say, it's just a touch wiggy knowing my woman is three feet tall and still has a thing for me"

"Yes, I imagine it must feel somewhat...inappropriate" the Watcher agreed, "Still, Buffy will no doubt spend less time with you when she realises she has other children her own age to play with"

"Good luck playing Daddy dearest with that lot" Spike smirked, "I mean the mini-witches might be alright, quiet and sensible and all, but the snack size version of the whelp and demon girl, that's just a frightening concept, even for a vamp like myself" he admitted with an involuntary shudder.

"Thank you so much for the confidence boost" Giles said sarcastically, pushing the bandage down on the back of Spike's head with unneeded force, making him yelp, "We don't want that coming unstuck in the night do we" he said as he turned and walked towards the door, blue eyes glaring at his back he just knew it.

Still, Spike was right, Giles was all to aware of that fact. Trying to control not one but five small children until such time as when the spell or whatever it was that had caused this could be reversed was not going to be a simple task. With Dawn just a child herself really and Spike at least temporarily indisposed, it seemed he and Joyce were to be the parental figures.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs Giles realised what a truly horrifying prospect that was as Anya chased Xander round and round the couch screaming something about orgasmic pleasures, whilst Tara cried and Willow and Dawn did their level best to comfort her in one corner. All were ignoring the fact that large amounts of mess still adorned the carpet, slowly getting crushed by small bodies and stamping feet.

"Oh good lord" the Englishman sighed, removing his glasses and running a hand over his face, "This is going to be a nightmare"

To Be Continued...

A/N2 : So as you've seen here, nothing very romantic is going to happen between any of the main characters, cos that'd be so entirely inappropriate, but I'm hoping I can right a good story that is not all about the coupleyness. Please let me know what you think of this chapter by reviewing - thanks.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N : Y'know it's harder than I thought to write this fic. I know where the plot is going and all but trying to get to each point is not as simple as it might be, I guess I've gotten so used to writing drama and romance, lol. Oh well, I shall persevere with this attempt at humour for those of you that seem to like it. Thanx so much to; Girl version of Chandler, Brunettepet, SlaYeRGiRLkaL, Onion Petal, Moonjava, EMBER91, bored-now0809, Demonica Mills, Daniel Wesley Rydell, OnlyHaveEyesForYou, Freezyboncoolipants, GoldenAngl88, lil-leti, spikespet2002, vanillagigglez, SunflowerLynx, sheilamarie, Moluvsnumber17, KaiNscara, Celestia Nailo, Aisling-Siobhan, and spuffy4eva, for the reviews. Without your support I might have given up on this already!  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)  
_

Chapter 3

"Now you be careful with that, sweetie, it's very hot" Joyce instructed Buffy as she handed her a mug that was two thirds full of warmed blood, "Don't run with it, go slowly, and be sure to tell Spike we have more if he wants it, okay?"

"Yes, Mommy" her daughter grinned as Giles got the door for her and let her out of the kitchen through the dining room where she should encounter less obstacles than going through the living room.

"How is he, Rupert?" Joyce asked when the blonde was gone, "Spike, is he going to be okay?"

"I would have thought so, yes" he assured her as they hugged each other, "I must admit I am more concerned about the condition of Buffy and the others" he told her.

"I can't believe it's happening again" Joyce sighed, "I mean, last year when Buffy and Spike were little, at least we knew how that had happened but this...Rupert, Dawn only said she wished they understood, how did that make them actually be children again?" she asked, looking so confused.

"A number of things could have triggered it" Giles explained, "A mystical stone nearby, a demon of some kind who sensed her wish or overheard it, possibly a spell...I really would have to research all the possibilities before I knew for certain what had caused all this" he admitted.

"Until then I don't suppose there's anything we can do" his girlfriend sighed, "Oh well, I've brought up two girls past this age, I never imagined I'd have to do all this with Buffy again, nevermind all her friends too"

"Yes, it seems we have rather been given the parental roles in this situation" he realised, "and as you know I have much less experience than yourself, having no children of my own"

"You know Buffy looks to you as her father figure" Joyce reminded him, "her own never cared half so much a you do, for Dawn too"

"They are dear girls, indeed the others are almost as important to me as my own children might have been" he admitted.

"And you're a wonderful man, taking them all on like you have" Joyce told him with a smile, "I don't know how they'd get along without you now...I certainly don't know how I would" she admitted as they kissed.

"Rest assured, Joyce, you will never have to do without me" he promised her as they headed back through to the carnage that waited in the next room.

* * *

"Hey Spike" Buffy was grinning as she came back into the bedroom, a large mug in her hands as she walked carefully towards him.

"Hello, pet" he smiled at her, "That for me is it?" he said, head tilting towards the mug.

"Of course" the little Slayer wrinkled her nose as she passed the mug to him, "Like I would wanna drink that" she grimaced.

"Glad to hear you wouldn't, luv" the vampire nodded, as he sipped at the substance and fought to hold back the demon that raged inside. He wasn't certain whether he'd scare the Bitty Buffy or not if his game face showed, and the last thing he wanted to do was that.

"Is it okay?" she checked for his approval and he assured her it was perfect.

"98.6 exactly, couldn't be better" he told her as he drank the rest down and she watched intently the whole time.

Buffy was in awe of the man before her. He was so brave, and strong, and handsome, and...there just weren't enough words in the little Slayer's head to do such a man as this justice. Okay so he was a vamp, but not an icky, evil one, he was special. Spike cared about her, and her family, and her friends. He was probably trying to stop some big bad evil thing from harming them all when he got so badly hurt and she loved him so much for being their protector. Not that she wasn't a great protector too, she was the Slayer after all, but Spike was...well, he was Spike and nobody compared.

"Er, you think you could take this mug downstairs for me?" he asked suddenly, pushing said item into her hands, "I could use a bit of kip, y'know"

"Oh sure" Buffy grinned, "I'll let you get your beauty sleep...not that you need it" she was quick to add as she backed out of the door, smiling brightly the whole time, "Good night Spike"

"'Night, luv" he called after her as he settled down and attempted to sleep, his mind whirling on in over-drive.

* * *

Tara liked Joyce, she reminded her of her own mother that she missed so much, especially right now as she sat with her on the couch and held her whilst she cried. Tara hated that she was so scared, she didn't want to be and she knew she really had no reason to be frightened, Willow was here after all and one thing that remained the same was the fact she cared very much for the red-headed girl, but something wasn't right. Things were different, much of the room seemed too big, and some of the people were wrong, she didn't know why things had changed or how but she knew it bothered her.

Willow peeked at the little blonde from underneath Joyce's arm and offered her a shy smile, hoping to bring some comfort. She liked Tara a lot, they were best friends she was certain. Although she too knew something here wasn't quite right, she was sure it'd all be alright, so long as Tara was still here with her. The fact Xander and Buffy were around didn't hurt either, they were also her good friends.

Xander himself was feeling strange as he questioned why he was the only little boy present. The girls all seemed to be smiling at him, most especially Anya, and whilst he knew he liked her, the small blonde scared him immensely too. She seemed to want to touch him a lot and he wasn't certain he liked that. He was a little old to be thinking that girls had cooties or whatever but they still scared him a little bit.

Anya seemed unphased by the strange situation, though not too happy to realise she no longer had enough chest to hold up her very appealing top that she loved so much. It was immensely pretty, as she believed she herself was, and so the reason why Xander refused to let her within three feet of his body was unknown to her. She sighed as she looked over to the stairs and Buffy came pelting down them with a now empty mug.

"Spike's sleeping now" she announced to the room, "He said the blood I took him was perfect" she said proudly as Giles took the mug from her hands.

"That's very good, Buffy" he assured her as he took the mug through to the kitchen. Joyce turned to her older and yet younger looking daughter then.

"Sweetie, you and your friends are going to have to share rooms with me and Dawnie tonight" she told her.

"But Mom!" the little blonde whined, "I want to sleep in my room with Spikey, in case he needs me"

"Now honey, if Spike needs anything he'll call and we'll go running, I promise" Joyce told her, "but you can't be in the room with him, he needs peace and quiet to rest"

"But I can be quiet and..." the little Slayer started up again, the look on her mother's face silenced her and Dawnie sniggered at the way her sister pouted and folded her arms, still so much Buffy despite her lack of height and years.

Joyce quickly planned all the sleeping arrangements in her head, working around the fact that they had one boy in the mix with four little girls and a teenager, as well as herself and Rupert. Finally with use of a camp bed a sleeping bag and the couch everybody got settled, and Xander was only to pleased to have a brick wall between himself and Anya who seemed to have hands everywhere. Willow and Tara were glad to be just a few feet from each other and Buffy was glad to know Spike was within yelling distance should he need her urgently.

* * *

A loud crash upstairs awoke Giles with such a start that he tumbled clean off the sofa and landed with a thump on the floor, narrowly missing giving himself a free lobotomy on the corner of the coffee table. As he attempted to disentangle his legs from the blanket and get to his feet, more loud noises came from upstairs, signalling the fact that at least some of the children were awake and active. A glance at the clock told him that what felt like an ungodly hour to be awake was in fact eight o'clock in the morning.

Upstairs, Joyce was woken by the same loud noises and the sight of empty beds and scattered blankets all around her. Getting out of bed she pulled on her dressing gown and went to the door that linked her room to Dawn's to watch the chaos for a moment.

"Does somebody want to tell me why it sounds like a herd of elephants have invaded my house!" she yelled over the noise, making Tara wince as if she'd been struck and hide behind Willow.

Xander came barrelling around the furniture, screeching to a halt by Joyce and hiding behind her legs to avoid little Anya who had a strange gleam in her eye that was altogether disturbing.

"I second your question, Joyce" Giles said from the other door as he arrived from the downstairs, "Do you think you children could possibly be a little quieter with your games, most particular at this time of the morning?" he said, aiming his words at Anya and Xander in particular.

"We're sorry" Willow apologised anyway, putting an arm around Tara's shoulders and holding her close. She was her best friend and she was upset, what else would she do?

"Uh, where's Buffy?" Dawn asked suddenly realising her little-big sister wasn't present.

"I think I can guess" Joyce sighed, prising Xander from her legs and walking back through her room. The little boy immediately dived behind Giles instead as Anya advanced and Dawn moved to sit with Willow and Tara who seemed distressed. They were always so good to her, seemed to understand more than the rest of the gang. Now she had a chance to look after them and she was going to do that to the best of her ability. Although she hadn't intended to make this happen, turning all the Scoobies into kids was a total accident, she thought it might actually be fun for a little while at least. Dawn didn't envy Spike though. She couldn't imagine how weird it must be for him to have little Buffy still totally in love with him when she was only six or seven years old.

Joyce was having the same thought as she arrived at her daughters' bedroom door. Buffy was standing by the bed, her elbows propped on the edge as she watched Spike sleep soundly. The little contended smile on her face showed her total adoration of the vampire and Joyce thought it was so sweet if not a little strange.

"Buffy, sweetheart" she called softly, "Maybe we should let Spike sleep a little longer and not disturb him" she suggested.

"Little late for that, Mum" the vampire told her as his eyes popped open and he moved very deliberately away from the edge of the bed where Buffy was stood, "I'm already _disturbed_" he told Joyce with an emphasis that told her of his double meaning.

"How are you feeling today, Spikey?" Buffy asked him, all wide eyed and innocent, "Does your head feel better?" she checked.

"Yeah, luv, reckon it's alright this morning" he nodded gently, not wanting to risk a headache just in case.

"Come on now, Buffy, let's get dressed and go down to the kitchen" Joyce said as she came further into the room and fetched her daughter out, "If you hurry you can help me make breakfast for everyone...including Spike" she added when she did not seem eager to move. At those words the mini Slayer bolted out the door and down to her own room to get dressed.

"Thanks for that" Spike said gratefully, "'S a bit weird seein' her like that y'know"

"Tell me about it" Joyce rolled her eyes, "I feel like I'm living in a time loop, first a repeat of her as a five year old and now a little older. I don't think I can deal with this every year"

"We'll figure out what happened, get it reversed" Spike told her as he got off the bed and tested his legs which he was glad to realise held him much better now, "Soon as possible with any luck" he sighed as little feet stomped down the staircase, and he wondered how long it would be before last nights headache returned with a vengeance.

To Be Continued...


	4. Chapter 4

A/N : Thanx too all the fantabulous reviewers; spuffy4eva, vanillagigglez, Moonjava, Aisling-Siobhan, sheilamarie, demonica mills, Girl version of Chandler, Celestia Nailo, Spikesbabygirl, SlaYeRGiRLkaL, Moluvsnumber17, Brunettepet, OnlyHaveEyesForYou, Daniel Wesley Rydell, EMBER91 - you're all awesome.  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 4

Joyce had thought briefly that it might be nice looking after kids again after years of dealing with just teenagers. Of course she loved her girls dearly, but the door slamming and general yelling gave her much more of a headache than bottle feeding and diaper changing ever had. This wasn't her two girls back as babies though, this was five hyper-active first graders and a teen, although perhaps it was a little harsh to say all the kids were hyper. When asked to sit quietly and eat their breakfast, at least Willow and Tara complied and Buffy too since she found she could get a good view of Spike from her position on the stool, as he moved around the kitchen, helping Joyce out and getting his own mug of blood this morning.

Anya still refused to leave poor Xander alone, and the pair almost bowled Giles over as he came back into the house via the back door with this morning's milk delivery. Thankfully he kept his balance and his grip on the bottle.

"Careful there, old man" Spike smirked, "Might have done yourself a terrible damage then"

"May I remind you, Spike, that you have almost a century on me age-wise" Giles pointed out as he passed the milk to Dawn who liberally poured it on her cereal.

"Yeah" the vampire nodded, "but I look a lot better on my years" he smirked, drinking his blood down. Buffy was watching him so intently she reached for the milk and didn't realise Tara had too. The bottle went straight over, sending half the contents across the counter.

"Oopsie" the little Slayer announced as her mother turned and saw the mess.

"I-I, I-I d-didn't mean to" Tara said, shaking her head. Spike who was nearest too her, crouched down by the stool.

"S'alright, little luv" he assured her, "No harm done" he said as tears sprang to her eyes, "Really, pet, no use crying over...well, spilt milk as it goes" he chuckled, and Tara found a smile for him.

"There now, that's better, ain't it?" he said glancing between her and Willow who nodded an affirmative, "Much prettier when you smile y'know" Spike told her as Giles watched the little scene in apparent amazement and Buffy shot daggers from her eyes. Spike said Tara was pretty, but he hadn't said that to her!

"What's up with you, Watcher?" Spike frowned as he got to his feet once again.

"Nothing, I'm sure" Giles shook his head, though he was lying.

"Wiccas treat me most decent of anyone in your damn Scooby club" he reminded the other man, "Reckon p'rhaps it's cos they're a little 'unconventional' like me and the Slayer, but either way, no reason I know for wantin' to see 'em suffer, right?" he said quietly with his back to the room, none of what he said ought to have been heard by the mini versions of the gang.

"Rupert, do you think you could chase down Xander and Anya for me?" Joyce called across to her man, "I really want to make sure they eat something before I go"

"Er, yes, I suppose but...before you go where, Joyce?" Giles asked her as Spike looked on, terribly put off when he realised Buffy was looking at him...again!

"Well, the kids only have the clothes they were wearing when, well, whatever happened " she explained, "I need to get them some more things, we have no way to know how long they'll be like this"

"Sort of hoping it won't be long" Spike squirmed as Buffy's little eyes followed him wherever he walked, and her cereal dripped down her chin as she missed her mouth again, concentrating far too hard on something that was not her breakfast.

"I dunno, I think it's kinda cool" Dawn giggled as Xander and Anya came thundering past her once again. As they ran around the counter and towards the back door, Spike grabbed them both with ease and picked them up, one under each arm.

"Where d'ya want the brats, Joyce?" he asked her with a smirk.

Maybe Baby Buffy would drive him round the bend, but having the power to dangle the Whelp above the ground from a great height - now that was fun.

* * *

With breakfast eaten and the kitchen cleaned up, Joyce had managed to get all the kids into the living room and in front of the TV where they all seemed perfectly happy to watch cartoons for a while. Buffy only joined her friends when Spike promised he'd be right in to watch too. He didn't tell her he was sneaking down to the basement for a fag beforehand, didn't want to be bad influence after all.

"I suppose I should begin researching possible reasons for what has happened to everyone" Giles sighed, "Though I doubt bringing my books back here would do any good. Although they are quiet now I have no doubt the noise level will rise significantly when they get bored of SpongeBob RoundTrousers or whatever his name is"

"That's SquarePants" Dawn pointed out with a snigger as Giles removed his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes, "And y'know whatever it is I might have made happen, I'm kinda glad" she admitted, "I get to order the kids around, cos I'm bigger than them, and for once Buffy can't be all superior on me"

"Dawnie, you know your sister only treats you the way she does because she loves you and wants to keep you safe" Joyce reminded her as she wiped her hands dry on the dish towel, "Although I am glad you like the idea of authority, since it seems you and Spike are going to be in charge today"

"What?" Dawn asked, her voice getting a little squeaky. Sure, she liked the idea of bossing her sister around and all, but actually taking care of five kids all day with only Spike for help, that wasn't so good.

"Well, honey, it'll only be for a few hours but Rupert really has to research this problem and he needs peace and quiet, and you know I have to get some more clothes for all the kids" Joyce explained.

"But Mom" Dawn whined, "How am I supposed to control five little kids?" she wanted to know.

"Sweetie, you're always telling me how grown up you are, this is your chance to prove it" her mother told her, "Beside you won't be alone, Spike will be here to help"

"Help with what?" the vampire asked warily as he appeared from the basement.

"You and me are going all Babysitters Club cos Mom and Giles have to go out" Dawn explained over dramatically folding her arms over her chest.

"Oh joy" Spike rolled his eyes, "Never saw myself as much as a father-figure, Mum" he told Joyce, "Sure you don't fancy stayin' home after all"

"You'll do just fine, Spike, I'm sure of it" she smiled, patting his arm reassuringly as she passed by him.

The four walked through to the living room where the kids were still watching TV, Willow, Tara and Anya all squashed on the couch with Xander and Buffy lying on their stomachs on the floor.

"Now kids, Giles and I have things to do, so Dawn and Spike are going to take care of you for a while, okay?" Joyce said, getting their attention as she put on her coat and picked up her purse.

Little shouts of 'okay' and 'whatever' were called as Giles also grabbed his coat and followed Joyce to the door.

A moment later they were gone, and the credits rolled on the TV, signalling the end of the cartoon. Buffy was immediately on her feet and running at Spike.

"Spikey, you were gone so long I missed you and..." she stopped talking suddenly, wrinkling her little noise, "You smell bad" she said suddenly and Spike would've been quite offended if he weren't so relieved to see her scamper away again. Dawn laughed at her sister's behaviour and leaned a little closer to Spike to see what her issue was.

"I guess even little Buffy knows smoking is of the bad" she explained.

"Only make me get through more bloody fags if it keeps her away from me" Spike smirked, "Seriously Bit, soddin' weird havin' your woman reduced to miniature size like that and still have her all over you"

"I would say I can imagine" Dawn frowned, "but I really don't think I wanna go down that road" she admitted as she went over to the couch and made sure Tara was okay after the upset of earlier. She was fine now it seemed, but Anya was not.

"I'm bored" she announced, "These animated people are not as amusing as the spongey man in the strangely-shaped pants!" she said, grabbing up the remote and changing channels.

"Hey!" Buffy yelled, scrambling to her feet and storming over to the other blonde, "This is my house, and my TV, and my remote!" she told her far more loudly than was necessary, "And I'm the Slayer so you have to give it!" she yelled as she tried to prise the remote from Anya's hands.

"Hey, stop it!" the little ex-demon shrieked as she put up a fight for several moments before toppling from the couch and landing on top of Buffy. The two rolled across the floor, still fighting for the prize of the TV remote, and accidentally changing the channel many times in the process.

Spike and Dawn shared a looked before both diving in and attempting to pull the kids apart without harming them as Xander sat cross legged in front of the TV screen trying to keep up with the constant changes in picture, from Star Trek to Days Of Our Lives to the Cookery Channel and so on with each blink of his little eyes.

"That is enough!" Spike said firmly as he hauled little Buffy off Anya who was swiftly pulled back by Dawn.

"That was so cool!" Xander announced, gesturing at the TV screen that had now stopped flashing but was for some unknown reason showing a talk show dubbed into Spanish.

"Huh" Dawn commented as she held the struggling Anya and stopped her getting away, "Oprah is still Oprah in Spanish"

"Well, what did you think it'd be, Bit" Spike smirked as Buffy gave up the fight against his grasp. It seemed her natural Slayer fighting instinct had taken over so much she had not realised at first who was holding her and now she had noticed she didn't mind so much.

"Now, we let go of you two you behave, right?" he told her and Anya.

The little ex-demon squeaked with annoyance.

"She started it!" she pointed out, still wriggling.

"She has a point" Dawn shrugged, looking aver at Spike who sighed.

"Right you are, should only punish the guilty party I s'pose" he smirked, looking down at Buffy who suddenly looked very wary of him, "Think it's time someone took a time out" he said, trying not to laugh as Dawn let Anya go and practically bounced up and down with joy.

"Oh, oh, let me do it Spike" she urged him, getting down to Buffy's height with a suddenly stern look on her face, "Buffy, go stand in the corner until you've calmed down and can behave properly" she said firmly and though the little blonde opened her mouth to protest, she changed her mind when she turned and saw the severe look on Spike's face.

With a resigned sigh she went over to the corner and stood facing the wall. Anya watched her go and when no-one was looking the two stuck their tongues out at each other in true six year old style.

"She's very violent" Anya muttered to Willow who didn't answer. She didn't like fighting or arguing of any kind. She was certain she and Tara never fell out over anything, they were such good friends. She turned back to her special friend when she tugged on her sleeve and motioned for her to come closer so she could whisper in her ear.

With conspiratal smile on both their faces, Willow slipped her hand in Tara's own and they both looked towards the table a few feet away where a glass of juice had been placed for each of them. Spike turned from Buffy to the little witches just in time to see their beakers rise from the table and float across the space to their owners, landing perfectly safely in their outstretched hands without a drop spilt.

"Well, would you look at that" he smirked, "Guess that must've been what all the whispering was about, Bit, your little Wiccans here didn't lose any of their magicks when they got down-sized"

"Cool" Dawn laughed as she realised what had happened and then observed Xander who seemed suddenly eager to take a hold of Anya's hand. He concentrated hard on his own cup of juice but of course it didn't move an inch. When he'd quite given up on that idea, he found Anya had not given up on her own plan and flatly refused to let go of his fingers now she had hold of them.

Spike aimed the remote at the TV, pushing all the buttons but it seemed every show on every channel was now on a Spanishaudio setting.

"Bloody fantastic" he cursed, "That puts paid to me watching Passions then" he sighed, "Today just gets soddin' better and better"

To Be Continued...


	5. Chapter 5

A/N : Thanx muchly to you awesome reviewer type people; EMBER91, vanillagigglez, Moonjava, wolf116, Brunettepet, demonica mills, sheilamarie, spuffy4eva, Xtremely-Canadian, Daniel Wesley Rydell, Moluvsnumber17, marykaitlyn, and Freezyboncoolipants. This fic is supposed to have a kind of plot but a lot of it will be little Scoobies cuteness and hilarity...at least, thats the plan. Here's hoping it all works out and that you all continue to like it and leave nice reviews for me :-)  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 5

"That was Mom on the phone" said Dawn as she came back into the living room, "Apparently shopping for five kids is taking longer than she thought, we have to get lunch for them" she explained.

"Bloody marvellous" Spike groaned as he pressed some more buttons on the remote and failed to find the one that would put the TV back into English.

The kids had mostly kept themselves amused so far, Willow and Tara seemed happy enough to sit quietly talking and floating the occasional object. Anya continued her pursuit of Xander until he made a point of hiding behind Buffy, at which point the other blonde got jealous and huffy and decided she was going to sit under the table until such time she felt she'd sulked long enough. Xander was relieved to say the least and very grateful to Buffy for helping him escape from the other little girl. Finding she had a sudden aversion to Spike, the little Slayer was happy to play with the brunette boy for a while, and the vampire she'd been obsessing over was only too pleased to be free of her for a while.

"You any good with technology, Little Bit?" Spike sighed, handing Dawnie the remote, "This thing's driving me insane. Is it so much to ask, I mean what does a fella have to do to watch a bit of telly in his own soddin' language" he complained.

"I think Mom keeps all the manuals to the appliances in the drawer over there" Dawn said thoughtfully, "I'll look for it, try to fix the TV in time for your show, on one condition" she smiled slightly and Spike shot her a look.

"What kind of a condition?" he asked suspiciously.

"Well" she said slowly, "Can you make something for the kids to eat?"

"Oh you have got to be kidding me" Spike sighed, "You want me to play chef as well as nurse maid now? Does nobody have respect for the Big Bad anymore!" he said possibly a little too loudly. Anya's head popped out from beneath the edge of the tablecloth so she could answer.

"Yes, I have respect for you" she told him with a nod, "You are a fellow former-demon and also nicely shaped and appropriately authoritative as a baby-sitter" she grinned.

Spike wasn't sure whether he should take that as a compliment or just ignore it all together, so he mumbled a thanks and headed off to the kitchen to see what he could rustle up for lunch, as well as warm himself some blood. He hadn't noticed that Anya had followed him into the kitchen until he turned around and almost tripped over her.

"Hi" he grinned up at him.

"Alright pet?" he checked as she tried to get herself up onto a stool by the counter and failed miserably. Spike rolled his eyes as he helped her in her task and she grinned at him when he'd done so.

"I want to ask you a question" she admitted as he searched the cupboards for possible lunch items, "It's a question that only a male would know the answer to" she informed him and Spike didn't like where this was going. Still, she may be Anya but she was only six years old, whatever she said, it couldn't be too bad surely.

"Go on then, luv" he encouraged her, "Ask your big question"

"Why am I not attractive?" she asked simply and Spike silently cursed who or what ever had turned the Scooby gang into kids, for about the eighth time today.

"I mean, I personally think I am very pretty" Anya went on to say, "but Xander has an uncontrollable urge to run away from me"

"I don't think that's so much to do with you, pet" Spike told her with a smirk, "Reckon Xander's just the run-away type, scared of everything that one"

The little boy in the living room was unaware he was being discussed and was much more interested in the friend that sat beside him as opposed to the people in the kitchen.

"Buffy? Buff!" Xander attempted to get her attention, but she really wasn't listening at all. Her mind was all in another place, mostly in the kitchen with Spike, wondering what he might be saying to Anya. He'd already said Tara was pretty and been really nice to her and Willow, he seemed to talk to Dawnie a lot too. Buffy didn't like it at all but she was feeling exceedingly jealous. Spike was hers, how dare any other girl so much as look at him! Okay so when he smoked he didn't exactly smell great and sometimes he said bad words that Mommy would yell at her for saying, but he was just so...Buffy didn't have words for whatever Spike so was.

"Buffy!" Xander tried again, finally getting the girl attention by pulling on her sleeve, "You're messing up your picture!" he told her urgently and the little Slayer looked down and realised she'd absently put a mess of red squiggles all over what should've been clear blue sky.

"It doesn't matter" she shrugged, scrambling to her feet, "I need to go see what's happening in the kitchen" she muttered as she ran through to the next room. Xander sighed, he didn't like being alone. At home there was no choice, his parents were always too busy yelling at each other to pay him any attention but if his friends were going to start abandoning him too...no sooner had he started the melancholy thought than he stopped again. Willow and Tara stood before him, holding hands and grinning.

"Can we share?" the little red-head asked shyly, "Me and Tara would like to draw stuff too"

"Sure" Xander smiled, making room for the two girls to sit with him and pushing the spare paper and crayons further into the middle of the space. The three were soon happily chatting and drawing, oblivious to their other friends distress.

As Buffy got to the kitchen door she heard Spike's voice and then Anya as the little girl giggled.

"So, I really am pretty?" she checked, right as Buffy got through the door.

"Course, luv" Spike told her without even turning from the sink, "Prettiest girl here" he lied, anything just to keep her quiet. He turned sharply when he heard a little squeak from near the door and he hated to see little Buffy standing there, lip quivering like she was about to bawl.

"Buffy..." he said awkwardly, only to have Anya make things ten times worst.

"Hear that, Buffy" she grinned, "Spike thinks I'm the prettiest girl here" she said proudly and Spike suddenly wondered if it were considered inappropriate to drop kick annoying ex-demon children out of houses...he guessed it probably wasn't the thing to do right now and instead went after Buffy as she bolted from the room.

"Buffy?" Dawn frowned as she watched her older but littler sister run through the room and hide under the table, much as Anya had done earlier, but more significantly just like she and Spike had done when they were five years old under Willow's spell last year.

"What happened?" Dawn asked as Spike followed from the kitchen.

"Me and my big gob, that's what happened" he admitted, "Your sister heard me tellin' Anya she's pretty and now she's got all jealous and teary" he rolled his eyes, "I tell you Bit it's bloody hard work bein' this popular, 'specially when your fan club's three feet high"

Dawn tried to suppress a giggle but failed miserably.

"On the upside I fixed the TV" she told him, "Passions, and all other shows should now be in their correct languages...I think"

"Good job, Nibblet" Spike smiled, as he ruffled her hair, and she scowled as she tried to straighten it out again, "but that's the least of our worries right now. I've not got a clue what kids like to eat, and I reckon this lot'll be gettin' peckish any time soon" he told her, "Then there's the Buffy-under-the -table-in-a-snit issue to consider"

"Well, lunch is so your deal" Dawn told him firmly, "Spike, last time I was let lose in the kitchen it took my Mom a month to get over it"

"Food poisoning?" he checked with a frown.

"Wanton destruction of the kitchen" she smiled, "I'd rather deal with Buffy than my Mom when she see's the mess I would make"

"Right then, looks like I'm on chef duty after all" the vampire sighed as he headed back to the kitchen.

Dawn looked over at where she could just make out her sister's feet from under the table. She felt kind of sorry for her really. It was tough being little and having a crush on someone so much older that didn't care so much for you as girlfriend than a little sister or whatever. Dawnie had experience in that area, having loved Xander for so long. Now she saw him as a six year old boy, it was just disturbing.

"Buffy?" she called as she crouched by the table and moved the cloth aside, "Buffy, will you come out and talk to me?"

"No!" the little Slayer snapped, "I don't wanna talk to you, I don't wanna talk to anybody!" she said firmly, sniffling more than she would've liked.

Across the room, Willow craned her neck to see what was going on. She'd considered running after Buffy to make sure she was okay, but then Dawn had checked on her instead so she'd left them to it and gone right back to waiting for her turn with the orange crayon that Xander was still using.

"Almost done, Will" he said for the fourth time in as many minutes and patiently the little red-head continued to wait.

"Y-you could colour the, the sun y-yellow" Tara stammered, holding out the right coloured crayon to her friend. Willow leaned away from the other girl's hand with wide eyes as if she were holding a hand grenade or some such item. Willow didn't like yellow crayons, they were bad and dangerous and led to tearyness that she remembered only too well.

"I'll have the yellow, Tara" Xander told the blonde, taking it from her, "Wills can have the orange now, I'm all done" he smiled, handing it to her and watching his best friend draw a bright sun in the corner of her picture of the three of them at the park. He knew why she was afraid of yellow crayons, he remembered that first day of kindergarten too.

* * *

Giles added a tenth book to the stack of irrelevant and unhelpful tomes. So far he had just three that were actually of any use. The first spoke of lucky charms, various items such as four leafed clovers and rabbits feet that on rare occasions actually made wishes come true instantaneously. The second book he'd added to the pile had a whole chapter on the power of the mind and people wanting things so badly that they came to pass through sheer will alone. The third though seemed to Giles to be a more likely source, in that it held the names and details of many demons, put on the Earth simply to grant wishes to those in need of justice. Somewhere near the beginning of the alphabetical index, Anya herself was listed, though under her demon name Anyanka of course.

Giles strongly suspected one of these so-called Vengeance or Justice demons were to blame for what had happened, having over-heard Dawn's wish and granted it on the spot. He needed to research all other options as well of course but it was beginning to seem rather likely that an old friend of Anya's named Halfrek, the patron saint of wronged children, may be to blame for what was happening. If that was the case it meant tracking her down, finding a way to make her reverse the wish and then disposing of her somehow.

"It would all be so much easier with a Slayer" Giles sighed to himself as he opened up another book. For now he would have to cope alone and hope that between himself, Joyce, Spike, and Dawn the children could be turned back into their adult selves before it was too late. If Halfrek was to leave town or worse still the dimension before they found her, the Scoobies could be trapped as six year olds for some considerable time.

To Be Continued...


	6. Chapter 6

A/N : Thanx to; sheilamarie, Moonjava, vanilagigglez, spuffy4eva, Freezyboncoolipants, lil-leti, Daniel Wesley Rydell, spk, marykaitlyn, Moluvsnumber17, demonica mills, and Lady Starlight, for all the great reviews.  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 6

Joyce wasn't really sure what to expect when she arrived home in the early afternoon. She'd actually had fun at the mall, picking out the cutest little outfits for all five miniaturised Scoobies, including her own daughter. It was an expensive business but she could afford a couple of outfits each for them, only hoping that the spell would get reversed before they needed any more new things.

Having Buffy and Spike as kids before had been fun, but ultimately hard work, especially with Rupert being blind at the time. Now she had him and Spike and Dawn to help her, but there were five small children to worry about, and worry was precisely what she did as she stood outside the front door and listened to the yelling and crying from within.

Opening the door she came face to face with what appeared to be a war-zone. Dawn was attempting to pull Buffy out from under the table but her little Slayer grip was so strong the table was actually being dragged little by little across the expensive flooring. Anya had decided it was time for another round of Chase Xander Through The House, and he was screaming like a girl everytime she came within three feet of him. Willow and Tara were relatively quiet and still, although Joyce was fairly certain that her various paperweights and such on the mantle shelf didn't usually float around of their own accord.

"Um, girls" she said carefully as she put her bags by the couch and came to kneel down at Willow and Tara's level, "Maybe you could not float Joyce's expensive things because you know it makes me very nervous" she told them, very careful not to upset them.

She knew from spending much time helping out with research of spells and such that to a witches mood could greatly affect their power. If she made these kids angry or upset there was no telling what might happen and she really did love the small vase that the girls were currently concentrating on. She sighed as it was gently set back down on the shelf and the two little witches looked at the floor.

"We're sorry, Mrs Summers" Willow said, looking shameful, as Tara tried to hide behind her friend.

"Oh I'm not mad, kids" she promised them, "It's just, I'd feel better if you only floated the non breakable things, or maybe you could just take a rest from the floating altogether for a while, okay?"

"Okay" the red-head nodded, still gripping onto Tara's hand as they ran off to find some other game to play that didn't involve floating things, for a while at least.

"Two down" Joyce sighed as she got back to her feet and was almost run down by little Xander who came pelting across the room.

"Honestly you two, where do you find the energy for all this running?" she asked as Xander dodged behind her legs and Anya stood in front, the two of them looking around either side of their friends mother.

"I'm a very active person, in lots of different ways" Anya smiled sweetly, "I'm also flexible and have great stamina" she went on, "I think these will be useful qualities when I'm old enough to pleasure men in a sexual way" she grinned, and as much as Joyce would like to snap at her and tell her these were not suitable things for a young lady to be saying, she just looked too innocent and adorable to be mad at.

In a moment the two were off again, and Joyce wondered if perhaps Xander really did want to get away from Anya at all. Perhaps his aim was to get caught in the end, maybe he just didn't know it yet?

"Mom!" Dawn called, catching her attention, "Tell Buffy she has to let go of the table leg" she whined as she tried to prise the little Slayers grip off the wood.

"I wanna stay here!" she protested, "You can't make me move, you can't! I'm the Slayer! The Chosen One! You aren't anything!" she said, sounding quite vicious and as much as Dawn knew it was just some lame kiddy thing to say, it kind of hurt. She let go of Buffy who hid herself back under the table, seemingly unaware of the pain she'd caused as Dawn ran up the stairs almost in tears.

Joyce knelt down by the table and peeked under the edge of the cloth to see her daughter.

"Buffy, come out of there, this instant!" she said, in full mother tone. The little blonde looked at her for a moment before doing as she was told and coming out from under the table.

"Now, I want you to tell me why you were under there and why you wouldn't come out when Dawn asked you to" Joyce said, looking her daughter in the eye.

"Spikey's mean" she said glumly, "He doesn't love me anymore, and he's a mean, bad man, and I hate him" she said, half way between anger and tears.

"Oh sweetheart" Joyce sighed, feeling awful for her child who must be so mixed up right now.

She was a twenty year old young woman in essence but forced into the body and mind of a six year old. She couldn't comprehend why her boyfriend didn't want to be close to her anymore, though her mother knew only too well. Kids didn't see the inappropriate factors that adults did, they were just too innocent for that.

"Buffy, Spike does love you" Joyce assured her, "He loves you very much, just like I do" she told her, giving her a hug, "Don't ever doubt that, sweetheart"

"He said Tara was pretty" Buffy sniffed as she mother hugged her, "Then he said Anya was the prettiest girl here" she managed to say before she burst into noisy sobs, "If he loved me he wouldn't say that"

Joyce had no idea what she was supposed to say to that so she just continued to hold her baby girl in her arms, rubbing her back and making soothing sounds until her tears ceased some time later.

"Y'know honey, what Spike said might have made you mad or upset" Joyce said gently, "but you really had no reason to yell at your sister, she was trying to help you, and be nice to you"

"I didn't mean to yell at her" Buffy shook her head solemnly, "Is she crying too?" she checked, not looking at all impressed by her own behaviour.

"Yes, I think she is" her mother nodded and Buffy looked pained for a moment before smiling.

"I'm gonna go tell her I'm sorry" she said as she bolted for the stairs and scrambled her way up. Joyce was also smiling as she got to her feet, she'd raised her girls pretty well, or so it seemed.

"Oh bloody hell!" the loud cursing from the kitchen caught her attention and she entered the next room to find Spike trying to get raw egg off the tiled floor, his coat discarded over the stools by the counter and the black T-shirt he wore covered in whiteish patches of what might've been flour or a similar substance.

"So, I guess lunch wasn't a success" Joyce said from the doorway, trying to force down the smirk that wanted to appear on her face.

"Not exactly" Spike sighed, as he turned to look at her. Realising how ridiculous he must look, but of course unable to see for himself. He almost laughed too, especially when he saw how difficult it was for Joyce to keep a straight face.

"Soddin' hard work bein' a babysitter" the vampire complained, "How these young chits of fourteen and such manage it I'll never bloody know" he sighed, "Got a new found respect for the little buggers though"

"Try being a Mom" Joyce rolled her eyes as she walked over to the sink and picked up a sponge to wipe the counter down with, "I guess I really should've thought it through more before I left a thirteen year old and an inexperienced baby-sitter in charge of five small children with various superpowers" she smiled as she made a start on cleaning up the destruction Spike had managed to make and all without actually preparing anything edible.

"You'd think after over a century of living I could handle a couple of temper tantrums, and a little cooking" Spike scoffed, "but no, if there's no bloody violence involved, seems I'm pretty much useless" he sighed almost sadly as he helped Joyce tidy up.

"When it comes to loving and caring for my daughter, I think you're very good at that" she told him seriously, a hand on his arm, "You're a wonderful man, Spike, and just because you not exactly a grade A chef or a perfect baby-sitter, it doesn't mean you're useless"

"Knew there was a reason I liked calling you Mum" he smiled at her.

"I feel honoured that you do" she assured him, "And on that note, I wondered if you'd take a little mother's advice from me" she asked and Spike looked curiously at her, "Buffy feels like you don't want her around, which I know to a certain degree is true right now and I do understand why, of course I do" she told him, "but Buffy doesn't understand, there's no way that she could. Do you think you could try to be nice to her, and not ignore her quite so much? It breaks my heart to see her so upset, Spike"

"Doesn't thrill me either" he sighed, "She cried, didn't she?" he checked, already knowing it was true. His finally tuned hearing had heard her sobbing into Joyce's arms beyond the door. Though he'd tried to ignore it, he couldn't.

"I'll do what I can" he promised, "but right now, any suggestions on what we feed these little sods...er, delightful children" he corrected himself off Joyce's look.

"Well, given the lack of things to work with in the refridgerator and the wanton destruction of my kitchen" she smiled slyly, "I think on this one occasion we could order in" she smiled, "Maybe pizza?"

"Did someone say pizza?" little Xander stopped running as he came in through the kitchen door, causing Anya to run into his back and consequently fall on her butt.

"Ow! You made me fall down!" she complained, over-dramatically as she got a hold of Xander's arm and attempted to pull herself up.

"Sorry" the little boy said, looking worried that he really might have hurt her.

For all the running away from her he did, he did like Anya and wouldn't want to think he'd hurt her.

"I'm okay" she admitted, smiling when he voluntarily got hold of her hand and didn't let go just yet.

"Oh please" Spike groaned, "If those two are gonna get all googley eyed at each other I plan on evacuating before I heave"

"Spike" Joyce said, giving him a look, "Play nice"

"Yes, Mum" he rolled his eyes as he went back to cleaning up whilst she called the pizza place.

* * *

"Dawnie?" Buffy called to her sister as she pushed the bedroom door open, "I'm sorry, Dawnie" she told the older-looking girl back who was currently laying on her bed with her back to the door.

"Go away" Dawn snapped, though it was difficult to ignore the childish little voice of her sister, especially since she was apologising for upsetting her.

"Talk to me, Dawnie" Buffy complained, scrambling up onto the bed with her sister and bouncing around until she got her attention.

"Stop it!" the brunette complained but the little Slayer was having too much fun now and refused to give up her game, giggling until Dawn couldn't help but laugh too.

"Y'know I think you might be more fun like this after all" she smiled, "A little thoughtless sometimes but I guess you didn't mean to be"

"I love you, Dawnie" Buffy told her with a grin, throwing herself at her and hugging her tight, "You're my sister, the bestest sister in the whole world ever ever ever"

Dawn felt like crying again at that, but this time from how kind and sweet Buffy's words were. They didn't say things like that to each other when Buffy was her normal self, they'd sort of grown past it somehow.

"I love you too" Dawn assured the little girl as she hugged her back, and though she was regretting her wish in some ways, in others it was turning out pretty good. At least she felt wanted, needed, and loved by her family right now.

"Girls!" Joyce called up the stairs, "We're ordering pizza for lunch if you're hungry"

The Summers girls soon found hugging to be highly unimportant when pizza was mentioned and they pelted down the stairs to join the rest of the gang.

To Be Continued...


	7. Chapter 7

A/N : Thanx so much to the reviewers; Moonjava, Girl version of Chandler, Daniel Welsey Rydell, Hellmouth2, demonica mills, Moluvsnumber17, marykaitlyn, Freezyboncoolipants, vanillagigglez, EMBER91, Brunettepet, and spuffy4eva. It's kind of weird for me writing a story that's not centered around Spuffy romance or drama and romance in general, so I really appreciate all the support. It's good to know the parts that are supposed to be humourous actually make you laugh, and that the cute bits are sweet enough. Here's more...  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 7

Joyce was glad she'd had the good sense to get the kids through lunch before she changed their clothes, since for the most part more pizza ended up on their hands, faces, and outfits than it ever did actually in their mouths. Dawn found it all highly amusing and even Spike couldn't help sniggering a bit at the kids antics as they ate and made an inordinate amount of mess.

"Anchovies, anchovies, you're so delicious, I like you better than all the other fishes" Dawn and Buffy sang together, giggling madly as they shoved more pizza with said topping into their mouths.

"Startin' to wonder who's the bigger kid out of you two" Spike smirked, at which both girls pointed at each other before giggling once again.

When everyone was finally done eating, Joyce took Dawn and trooped all the children upstairs to clean them up and change them into clean clothes, leaving Spike and the recently arrived Giles to tidy up in the kitchen.

"So, how'd the research pan out then, Watcher?" the vampire asked as he forced the pizza boxes into a plastic bag, "Any luck on findin' out how to change the little critters back into their proper sized selves?"

"I have made some progress" Giles admitted as he washed the plastic cups in the sink, "There are a number options, but the most likely seems to be that a Vengeance Demon overheard Dawn's wish and granted it for her"

"Vengeance demon, eh?" Spike frowned, "Like Anya used to be?"

"Exactly, yes" Giles nodded, "It would seem each Vengeance or Justice demon has a particular function, and they use the power of the wish, bestowed upon them by their leader D'Hoffryn, to right certain wrongs in the world"

"Right, Anya was all about vengeance for women who got screwed over by their fellas" Spike remembered.

"Indeed" the Watcher nodded as he turned off the faucet and dried his hands on a dish towel, "It seems there is a demon by the name of Halfrek whose duty is to punish parents, and indeed any adult, who has caused pain or suffering to a child"

"So she overhears Dawnie whinging on that nobody understand what it's like to be her, and wham-bam-pow Buffy and her mates all know what it's like to be the kid?" Spike guessed.

"That is the theory I've been working with, yes" Giles nodded, "It seems the most likely explanation"

Spike was about to ask what they do to solve the problem with this Halfrek bird and her bloody unwanted wish granting, when a sound like a small herd of elephants stampeding down the stairs interrupted him.

"What the soddin' hell...?" he said absently as he and Giles ventured through to the living room, just as the five children reached the bottom of the staircase, all grinning and apparently loving their new clothes.

Willow and Tara both wore dresses in very similar styles, though the red-head's was a pinky-peach shade, and her friends was a kind of blue-ish green. Xander had little blue jeans with patches and a T-shirt, whilst Anya had red dungarees on. Behind them came Buffy who both Giles and Spike were a little surprised to see in a smart little dress with daisies on it. Quite an odd choice for a Slayer, they both thought, but then she wasn't so much a Slayer as a little girl who probably still had aspirations of being a princess one day.

"Well, I think I did pretty well" Joyce said modestly as they all got to the bottom of the stairs and the kids scattered to go and play.

"Well done, Joyce" Giles smiled at her as she kissed her cheek. She offered to help him finish up in the kitchen and they disappeared off, leaving just Dawn and Spike, and the still lingering Buffy in the hall.

"You like my dress, Spikey?" the little blonde asked hopefully and the vampire glanced at Dawn then back at her sister.

"Gorgeous, luv" he told her with a smile, "Never seen anyone look prettier"

The grin on her face threatened to split it in two as she turned a little pink and then scampered off without a word. Dawn smiled too at that.

"Y'know Mom had got pants for her to wear but Buffy insisted she wanted the dress" she told her friend, "She so wanted you to say she was pretty"

"I know" Spike sighed, "And she is, course she is, but she's six years old and she still bloody fancies me. It's soddin' disturbing is what it is" he pointed out, "S'pose it could be worse though" he considered, "For the first time ever I'm sort of glad your sister's held out all this time" he said without thinking.

"You and Buffy haven't...y'know?" the young brunette asked with a look before shaking her head, "Oh, eeww, why am I even asking?"

"Beats me, pet" Spike told her with a smirk, "but since you already did, no we haven't, and I'm bloody glad right now. This is disturbing enough, that'd be bleedin' off the chart"

"Okay, I so do not need to hear this" Dawn told him firmly, putting her hands over her ears and hurrying away.

Spike smirked as he watched her go then sauntered back to the kitchen to speak to Giles some more about his Vengeance Demon theory. As he walked into the kitchen he found the Watcher and Joyce in a somewhat compromising position and was soon smirking once again. He cleared his throat, looking at the tiled floor to save dear old Mum some embarrassment. When he was sure the PDA was over he carried on as if nothing had happened,

"Was wonderin' if you want to tell me the rest of your theory about that demon of yours, Rupes?"

"Oh yes indeed, I was just filling Joyce in, in fact" Giles told him.

"'S that what they call it these days?" Spike asked with a raised eyebrow as he sat down by the counter, "Nobody told me"

"Spike" Joyce shot him a look that told him to let it go and he was silent for her sake.

"Back to the matter in hand" Giles started again, "This Halfrek person, or demon to be more accurate, she's likely to be strong but no real match for the group of us combined. I dare say you might even mange to kill her yourself, Spike" he told the vampire.

"So what's the big deal then?" the vampire shrugged, "I go out tonight, track the bint down, snap her neck, case closed, yeah?"

"Not entirely, no" Giles shook his head.

"Killing her won't reverse the wish" Joyce explained, having already heard this part from her boyfriend, "In fact it would make matters worse since she's the only one capable of changing the kids back"

"Alright, different plan" Spike considered, "I catch the bint, tie her up, torture her til she gives in and changes 'em back"

"Really Spike, you're not helping" Giles said crossly as he removed his glasses and polished them, "All the years you have existed and yet in all that time you have never once learnt to listen, have you?"

"'Scuse me for tryin' to bleedin' help!" the vampire snapped, catching the kids attention. Dawn and Buffy appeared in the doorway, followed by Xander and Anya who had somehow ended up hand in hand again.

"Why is Spikey yelling?" the little Slayer wanted to know, "Is something bad happening?" she asked, "Do I need to slay something?" she asked looking almost hopeful for some violence.

"No, sweetie, not right now" her mother assured her, before realising her daughter was used to being active and was more than likely hating being stuck in the house, as were all the children.

"How about we go play in the garden for a while?" she suggested.

"Yay!" was the general response from the group and Dawn went to hunt down the soccer ball she knew they had somewhere, also her hula hoop and various other things.

"Oh" Buffy said suddenly as they all went out the back door a few minutes later, "What about Spikey?" she said as she looked back at him, cowering away from the light in the kitchen.

"He'll be fine, Buffy" Dawn told her kindly, "Giles is gonna stay with him, and he can watch from the window a little bit, if he's careful"

"I guess" the little Slayer sighed, not loving leaving her man behind, but also desperate to be out in the sun where Xander was already kicking the ball around. She liked soccer, she used to play with the boys at her little school in LA, which in someways seemed a long time ago and in others not so much...

"Oh thank God for peace and quiet" Spike sighed as Giles shut the door behind the noisy bunch of children.

"Indeed, they do make rather a din" the Watcher agreed, "I rather feel the need for a large scotch" he admitted and Spike whole-heartedly agreed that he felt the same as they went for the drinks cabinet and poured a liberal shot each.

"Back to this Vengeance bint then" the vampire said, when his drink was gone and he began to pour another, "I'm all ears if you wanna explain what the bloody hell we do about her"

"Well, job number one would be tracking her down, and as fast as possible since there is no reason for her to stay long, especially if she has angered a great many people with very various wishes she has granted" Giles explained, "When we do find her we must appeal to her better nature, should she have one, and ask her to reverse the spell"

"Ask her?" Spike echoed incredulously, "You're gonna bloody ask her all nicely, and what offer her tea and cakes too I s'pose?"

"Spike, as I have explained, killing her or using force upon her will do no good" Giles sighed tiredly as he removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, "If she dies the spell will never be reversed, and I would imagine these Vengeance demons have somewhat of a superior pain threshold, they do tend to live for hundreds and thousands of years you know. Anya herself was eleven hundred when she was made human again"

"But she was made human, and that ended any wishes she'd cast recently, right?" Spike said as a thought occurred to him.

"Er, yes, I believe it did" Giles agreed.

"So all we got to do to Miss Unwated-Justice-For-The-Young is whatever someone did to Anya, and we got ourselves a humanised demon and full-sized Scooby Club" he said, hoping he was right.

"That would be an excellent plan" the older-looking man nodded, "If it not for one flaw - we have no idea how or why Anya did become human. Whatever happened to cause such a thing, she has never told me, perhaps to save her old colleagues from a similar fate or possibly just because she is embarrased"

"But we can find out, right?" Spike frowned, "I mean, it'll be in one of your dusty books or whatever"

"Possibly" Giles agree, "but it will take time to find and we really are running short of that commodity" he shook his head, "I would suggest we ask Anya if she remembers what happened, but in her current condition I fear it would be unlikely"

"Worth a shot" Spike decided as he poured himself another drink, "Course with her bein' outside and me having my little allergic reaction to the sun..." he went on, smirking as realisation dawned on the Watchers face.

"You expect me to ask a demon-turned-human trapped in the body of a six year old child about her defeat?" Giles checked, hardly believing it.

"Well, you're the one that mentioned the ticking time bomb situation we got here" Spike pointed out, "We don't find this Halfrek bint in double quick time we're stuck with mini-Scoobies and worse mini-Slayer for the rest of time. You fancy playin' father to that bunch cos I sure as hell never asked to be anybody's Dad" the vampire told him in no uncertain terms.

"Very well" Giles sighed, hating that Spike was right but knowing he really was on this occasion. The Watcher downed another scotch before venturing through the kitchen and out into the backyard.

Spike heard a thump and muttered cursing. He correctly guessed that on stepping outside the back door, Giles had been smacked in the face by the soccer ball, and the giggling culprit of the unmeant crime was a certain Slayer.

To Be Continued...


	8. Chapter 8

A/N : Thanx so much to the latest reviewers; Freezyboncoolipants, Moonjava, ness345, Daniel Wesley Rydell, Moluvsnumber17, demonica mills, EMBER91, Brunettepet, sf-former-mk, vanillagigglez, spuffy4eva, Charmed Phoebe 1982, Anyanka0705, Hellmouth2, Torrchy, and Spuffy6. You all rock, and I promise there really is a plot under all the sweet kiddy stuff here.  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 8

"Sorry, Giles" Buffy said, biting her lip so as not to giggle any more. Her mother was giving her that look that told her to behave, although it seemed that Joyce was also having difficulties hiding a smile on this occasion.

"Are you okay, Rupert?" she checked as he came to sit beside her on the porch.

"I dare say I shall live" he smiled, though when he put hand to the sore point on his head where the soccer ball had hit him it turned into a grimace.

The kids were back to their games, Willow and Tara having a thumb war sitting on the steps whilst the others, including Dawn, played soccer, or at least a variation of it. Little Xander was horrified to see Anya pick up the ball as it came towards her and run with it.

"No!" he yelled chasing after her, "You can't pick up the ball!" he told her.

"But it was the easiest way to get it to the winning area" she replied, gesturing to the spot that had been assigned as the goal in which she now stood with the ball in her hands.

"You can't touch the ball!" Xander rolled his eyes, "It's called sock-er, cos you're supposed to use your socks!" he explained, pointing to his feet. Dawn overheard what he said as she approached and burst out laughing.

"That's stupid!" Anya said, folding her little arms over her chest and looking cross, "Then how come the game with the other ball is called football and the men pick up the ball?" she asked, annoying Xander because he had no answer to that.

As Dawn made attempts to split to up what looked ready for a fight suddenly, Buffy ran over to her mother and Giles who still sat on the swing, discussing Halfrek and Spike's idea of asking Anya about being a Vengeance demon.

"...it may be the only way to bring them back" the Watcher sighed as the little Slayer came towards them.

"Bring who back?" she asked with a frown, "Everybody's already here" she told him as she spun round and checked. Yep, all her friends were present and correct, she could even see Spikey peeking through the kitchen blinds, though he disappeared fairly fast when he saw she'd spotted him.

"It's nothing for you to worry about, my dear" Giles told the little girl, "Although do you think you might do a little favour for me?" he asked her.

"Sure" Buffy nodded, happy to help out.

"Could you go and ask Anya if she might come and speak to me, I have a question for her" he explained vaguely and Buffy agreed before bolting off to do as she was asked.

"It might be easier to speak to her alone about such a matter" Giles told Joyce, "If she does become distressed at least it will be only her and not all of them"

"What exactly will you ask?" Joyce checked, "I mean, how much will she remember? If anything at all?"

"I really couldn't say" her boyfriend sighed, as he removed his glasses and polished the lenses, "When Buffy and Spike were turned into children they retained some of their memories but it was very confusing for them to try to remember, since they didn't fit into their world as five year olds"

"Aren't we risking Anya getting very mixed up by mentioning her past to her?" Joyce frowned as she watched the two blondes share a few words before the ex-demon came stomping over, clearly still unhappy after her exchange with Xander.

"Indeed" Giles agreed as he replaced his spectacles on his nose, "but we really have no other option if we ever want the children back to their normal selves" he explained as Anya arrived in front of them.

"Xander Harris is not a nice boy!" she announced.

"Oh, did he upset you, sweetie?" Joyce sympathised. Though she hadn't forgotten the abominable way Anya had treated Buffy and Spike when they were kids last year, she found it impossible to be unfeeling to any child, including this smaller version of Anya.

"I hate him more than...bunnies!" she said furiously, though she seemed adamant that she would not explain what had caused such feelings.

"Er, Anya" Giles awkwardly tried to get her attention, "I wondered, do you remember anything about..."

"I'm so mad at Xander!" she interrupted, "He's a mean, stinky...boy! If I were still a Vengeance demon I'd..."

"Ah-ha!" Giles said suddenly, aggravated at first by her interrupting him, but so glad she'd mentioned her demon days. It meant she remembered them and was probably able to talk of them without further distress - two very good facts right now.

"Anya, my dear, I need to ask you about that, about your Vengeance Demon days" he said carefully, "Or rather the end of them"

"I was taller then" she sighed, grumpily as she looked down at her chest, "I had better assets too"

"Yes, indeed" Giles muttered, "but do you remember the day you stopped being a demon?" he asked her, "The day you became human again?"

"Of course I remember" the little blonde snapped, "It's not like I could ever forget, not when I see _you_ all the time"

"Sweetie, what does Rupert have to do with this?" Joyce asked the child who was still pouting over Xander especially now as he continued his game with Buffy and Dawn as if nothing had happened. She was starting to wonder if he even loved her at all anymore.

"Anya" Giles called back her attention, "We really must know what you remember, my dear" he told her and Anya sighed heavily.

"You smashed my power centre!" she reminded him overly loudly, "In the alternate reality from Cordy's wish, and then the wish went away and so did my power" she rattled off, "Now I wanna go play the game with the socks and the balls again" she said as she ran back over to the rest of the gang.

"Alternate reality? From a wish Cordelia made?" Joyce frowned not understanding, "I don't remember any of that"

"No, nor I" Giles agreed, "but then I don't suppose we would. When Anyanka became the human Anya once again, not only did she lose her powers but her latest wish was undone" he translated what Anya had said into his own far more grown up and sensible words, "It would seem that all we need to do is somehow capture this Halfrek person and smash her 'power centre'" he quoted from Anya's little rambley speech.

"Do we know what her power centre is?" Joyce asked hopefully.

"No" Giles admitted, "but I can probably find out" he said as he got up and headed for the back door to fetch his books from the house.

Over in the garden, Xander and Buffy passed the ball back and forth with their feet expertly as Dawn stood in the goal area waiting to block any shots that came her way. Anya grew more and more agitated as she was unable to prise the ball away from the others and Xander was giving far too much attention to the Slayer right now, that didn't please her either.

In a moment of fury she ran at Buffy and tackled her for the ball. As the blondes' legs became entangled they both went crashing to the floor with a thud and Joyce immediately went rushing over to make sure they were okay, as did Dawn and Xander.

"Oooow!" Buffy complained far more than she really should being the Slayer, but then Anya had more or less landed on top of her, squashing her into the ground. Wearing a dress hadn't helped matters, and with nothing to protect her legs from harm, stones amongst the grass had badly grazed the little girls knee. Though the sight of the blood didn't bother her so much, and the pain wasn't too bad, the fact she had seemingly ruined her dress made her cry. Spike had thought she was so pretty in her new outfit, now he'd hate her again.

"I didn't mean to" Anya said, looking a little shame faced as Xander pulled her to her feet.

"Oh baby" Joyce gasped at the state of Buffy's knee as she picked the child up from the ground and carried her towards the house, "Dawn, keep an eye on them for now, I'll be back" she called as she went towards the door.

Spike was just returning from the basement where he'd been having a cigarette when Joyce carried the still bawling Buffy into the kitchen and sat her down on the counter top.

"What the bloody hell happened here?" he asked as he dodged the sunlight that streamed through the open door.

"I'm sure you're aware, Spike, that soccer is a rough game" Joyce told him as she shut the door once again, "Anya seems to take tackling for the ball a little too seriously"

"Little bugger" the vampire muttered as he looked at Buffy, all injured and sniffley. She was very possibly the cutest kid on the planet he realised, even in her current state, and so familiar after their little throwback adventure together last year.

"Could you watch Buffy for a minute while I fetch the first aid box?" Joyce asked Spike, not waiting for an answer as she disappeared from the room.

"Hey now, pet" the bleached blond said to Buffy, "No more tears, eh? Little scrape like that's nothing to our great Slayer now is it?" he said, with a smirk, hoping to get a smile out of her, but to no avail.

"I'm...not...pretty...anymore" she sobbed, hiccuping and coughing as she tried to stop crying, and breathe instead.

"Oh luv" Spike sighed, "You are always pretty" he assured her, lifting her little chin with his finger, "Most beautiful girl I know, Slayer, inside and out. Always have been, always will be. You got that?" he told her firmly, and despite the weirdness of the situation he meant what he was saying.

"Really?" she checked, still sniffing a bit as she wiped tears from her blotchy cheeks.

"Would I lie to you, pet?" he said, tilting his head and she quite firmly shook hers. Spikey didn't lie, not to her. He was a good vampire, and deep down he loved her, she knew he did, even if he hadn't said it much lately.

"Here we are" Joyce said as she came back into the room with the first aid kit, "Let's get that knee cleaned up" she said to her daughter as she pulled out antiseptic ointment and sticky plasters.

"Now, it'll only sting for a minute, honey" she assured Buffy as she made to clean up the bleeding wound. The little Slayer was wincing before the ointment even made contact with her knee and Spike felt bad for her. As tough as she was in reality as a twenty year old who could take as much beating as the local demons could throw at her, this was a six year old kid who was bleeding and a little bit scared.

"Here, luv" he said taking hold of her hand, "You talk to me, don't think about what dear old Mum's doing with your leg" he told her, "Won't hurt half so much if we don't think about it, now will it?"

"I guess not" Buffy agreed, forcing a smile, "Did you see me score my goal?" she asked suddenly as her half-smile shifted to a grin, "I'm so good at soccer, I'm better than Xander and Anya and even Dawnie, and she's way bigger than me, but I still scored!" she told him excitedly.

"Sorry, luv, reckon I missed it" Spike told her, "but not to worry, eh? Maybe if you're really good Mum'll let us have a kick about after sundown?" he suggested, "Just for a little while mind, I reckon you'll be needing your kip tonight after so much runnin' about"

"Oh can we Mom?" Buffy asked hopefully, "Can I play soccer with Spikey when it gets dark enough for him to play outside?"

"We'll see, honey" Joyce nodded, "And look, your leg is all patched up" she said with a smile.

"Didn't feel a thing, did you, pet?" Spike pointed out as the little girl pulled her leg up and studied the Mickey Mouse sticky plaster over her graze.

"Nope" she agreed, shaking her head, "You helped a lot" she told the vampire, throwing herself at him and wrapping her little arms around his neck, "You're the bestest nicest vampire in the whole world" she said definitely, "And I love you, Spikey"

Spike felt stupidly moved by both her words and actions. Despite the fact that it might have felt inappropriate and weird just a few short hours ago, now he was starting to realise that this wasn't really his girlfriend, but rather just a little girl he loved and wanted to take care of, much like it was with him and the Nibblet, like playing older brother almost.

"Love you too, pet" he assured little Buffy as he kissed the top of her head, "Always will"

To Be Continued...

A/N2 : Trying to balance the relationship between Spike and bitty Buffy here isn't easy. They have to love each other, and she likes him in a crush kind of way but he has to find a way to love her kind of like a sister right now... I hope it's working and not coming across as majorly weird or icky.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N : Thanx so much to; Daniel Wesley Rydell, spuffy4eva, Brunettepet, Moonjava, sf-former-mk, Demonica Mills, Anyanka0705, kim, Freezyboncoolipants, Torrchy, Lori, Moluvsnumber17, midnightPixie13, vanillagigglez, EMBER91, and chanel 5, for all the encouraging reviews, and assurances that the Spike and Buffy scenes are good and not icky, I was worried for a while there! Slightly more plot in this chapter, hope you like...  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 9

"Any luck?" Joyce asked as she went over to Giles where he was sat at the table with his books. It was early evening and the kids had tired themselves out so much playing outside they were already in bed, mostly fast asleep, all except Buffy who had a few minutes extension so she could play soccer with Spike now it was dark.

"I really think these volumes were written by demons" Giles said sharply closing the volume in front of him with a thud, "Either that or profoundly stupid people who even after much studying on the subject of Vengeance Demons never actually thought to find out how to kill them or at the very least reverse wishes they'd granted!"

"Don't upset yourself, Rupert" Joyce urged him, standing behind his seat and putting her hands on his shoulders, "It won't do any good"

"I know" the Watcher sighed, putting a hand on hers and glancing up at her, "but if we do not find a way to track down this Halfrek and destroy her power centre soon I am afraid we may run out of time" he shook his head, "I am uncertain as to whether it will do any good as it is, since she has doubtless cast many more wishes since Dawn's and surely only the final wish will be undone?"

"Maybe" Joyce frowned, "but we still have to try. Can I help at all?" she asked, covering her mouth with her hand as she suddenly yawned.

"I think the best thing you can do is get some sleep, my dear" Giles smiled, "It cannot be easy dealing with so many small children as you are forced to do"

"I really don't mind so much" Joyce admitted, "I mean, of course I want them all back to being themselves, I wouldn't want them to be stuck this way forever but...I have to admit, it's nice to be so needed again" she smiled, a little sadly and Giles got up from his seat to stand before her.

"Believe me, my darling Joyce" he said, looking fondly at her, "You are always very much needed" he told her right before they kissed.

* * *

"Come on then, Little One" Spike smirked as he stood between two plant pots that designated the goal for the little game of soccer between himself and Buffy, "Give us your best shot"

Buffy stood a few feet away with the ball at her feet, grinning at first then looking so serious as she concentrated, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as she took a step back then ran forward, feigning left before kicking the ball hard to the right.

Spike made a half hearted effort to dive for the ball but let it sail past the tips of his fingers and into the makeshift goal. He smirked as Buffy ran circuits round the lawn, yelling delightedly that she'd scored. As the vampire got up from the ground, he spotted Joyce at the kitchen window, pointing to the watch on her wrist and smiling.

"Here now, luv" Spike called to the mini Slayer, getting a hold on her as she ran past again, "Mum wants us back in the house now, pet. Time for you to get some sleep I reckon" he told her as she walked back to the house. Buffy scrambled up the porch steps, whining to her mother before they were even at the door.

"But we were playing Mom" she complained, "and I was winning, and it was fun, and I'm not even sleepy!" she went on.

"Buffy, we had a deal remember" Joyce said seriously, "I said you could stay up a little longer to play soccer with Spike but you promised when I said enough was enough you would go straight to bed without making a fuss, remember?"

"I remember" little Buffy said grumpily as Spike smirked at the scene before him. with her arms folded across her chest, and a pout on her face, there was no mistaking the little kid here was Buffy, and yet she was so far from the woman he adored it was weird.

Eventually the Slayer went with her mother to get ready for bed, but not until she'd flung herself at Spike's legs, holding on tight and thanking him several times for playing outside with her and being the best vampire-friend in the world ever.

The bleached blond wandered through to the living room, wondering if he might be able to find something decent on telly when he realised Giles was just finishing a phone call and it seemed pretty serious.

"Everythin' alright, Watcher?" Spike asked with a slight frown, "Startin' to look paler than me there, mate"

"It seems this Halfrek whom we were planning to track down and destroy has struck again" Giles admitted as he removed his glasses and polished them thoughtfully, "In Los Angeles no less"

"LA?" Spike's frown turned into a grin, "Has she done something to Angel?" he asked amusedly, "Oh come on, Rupert, don't keep me in suspenders" he grinned, dropping down onto the couch and putting his feet up on the coffee table, "What's the bint done to SoulBoy?"

"It would appear that Cordelia is more prone to making wishes than one might have predicted" the Watcher sighed tiredly, "She stupidly voiced a desire for herself to be the most senior person at Angel Investigations"

"Senior?" Spike echoed, "Like, in charge of the operation?" he guessed.

"Yes, indeed, that was what she meant" Giles nodded as he replaced his glasses and sank down into the chair opposite Spike, "However, that was not quite what happened" he cleared his throat before explaining, "Instead, she is now the eldest person present, and whilst she has not aged a day Angel and Wesley's own years have decreased somewhat"

"Oh this is too good" Spike chuckled, "The Poofters a tiny tot, and Watcher-Boy Jnr as well? That is just classic" he roared with laughter, picturing the scene in his head and finding is so terribly amusing.

"I'm glad you find it so very humorous" Giles snapped, "Perhaps you would find it less so if you thought about it for a moment" he said, looking quite cross when Spike's laughter did not fade, "If this is the work of Halfrek, as it does indeed seem to be, destroying her power centre will bring back Angel and Wesley, but it will have no effect on Buffy and the rest" he explained, causing the vampire to quit his laughter immediately and sit bolt upright in his seat.

"Hey, wait a minute" he said, frowning hard, "What's that all about? Why can't we turn them all back?"

"Destroying the power centre will only undo the very last wish the Vengeance Demon granted" Giles explained, both annoyed and very troubled by the realisation. Spike just stared for a long wile before expelling an unneeded breath.

"Bugger" he said simply, for lack of anything better to say. The great amusement at the thought of Angel as a tiny toddler had given way to much more serious thoughts and emotions now. Buffy might be stuck as a six year old, and even if she grew up given time, it'd be fourteen years before she'd be back to being the woman he loved, and even then he wasn't sure anything could happen between them. There was a definite ick factor in helping to bring up a child only to start dating them a soon as they were of age. Spike couldn't deal with that, or wait long enough for his love anyway. He wanted the real Buffy back, the whole gang if he was honest. As annoying as Harris and the ex-demon bint were, the Wiccas were decent, and the whole lot of them were much easier to deal with when they weren't three feet tall!

"So then" he said at length, "Seems I'm off to LA" he announced getting up from his seat. Giles called the vampire back as he went for the door.

"Exactly what do you plan to do on arrival?" the watcher asked as he got up from his seat and faced the younger looking man, "Apart from combust in the daylight that will approach too quickly for you to avoid" he pointed out.

"'M gonna bloody well find this soddin' Halfrek that's caused all the bleedin' trouble is what I'm gonna do!" Spike yelled, voice dropping a few decibels when Giles hushed him and gestured upstairs when the kids were trying to sleep, "'M not just gonna sit here and watch my woman go through her kid and teen years again, it's too soddin' weird for words!" he said angrily through gritted teeth, "This Vengeance bint is gonna pay and she's gonna change the whole lot of those kids back to what they were" Spike nodded firmly as he turned away once again.

"As odd as this is going to sound" Giles said as he gave chase towards the door, "Spike, I agree with you"

The bleached blond looked back at the other man in apparent disbelief, hand pausing on the doorknob.

"You serious?" he frowned, finding the concept of one of the Scooby Gang agreeing with him quite unsettling.

"Utterly and completely" Giles confirmed, "This woman or demon, whatever she is, she must be stopped, forced to undo the great wrongs she has done, and then destroyed if at all possible" he said definitely, "but I do think we should spend at least some amount of time looking at this logically, Spike" the Watcher explained, "Rushing in headlong, violence without thought of consequence, I really do not think it will help at all"

Spike scoffed at that.

"What do you know about it, Rupert?" he deliberately used his name like an insult, "She's a demon. Straight in fighting, nothin' but fist and fangs. That's how it's done in their world"

Giles looked at the vampire oddly then, causing Spike to ask what the bloody hell he thought he was staring at.

"Their world" he echoed the words, "You do not think of yourself as a demon, part of that world?" he half asked, half stated as Spike looked around uncomfortably then sighed.

"Look, you know things have changed, what with me and the Slayer gettin' it together and all" the vampire explained, "I exist for her now, to be at her side, to fight the good fight and be a decent sort of man if I'm able" he shrugged awkwardly, "And don't you dare start thinkin' I'm bleedin' soft, Ripper, or I'll..."

"Yes, I'm quite aware of what you would do" Giles interrupted, "I confess I would much rather be talking over our current issue with this Halfrek and the problems she'd caused, than waste my time questioning your fighting abilities, etc."

"Right" Spike nodded a moment later, letting go of the door at last as the pair headed back into the living room, "Let's get to it then"

"Hey Buffster!" Xander called in a whisper as he scurried across the landing and squatted by the banister rail next to his friend, "What're you doin?" the little boy wanted to know.

"Spikey's down there" she pointed out, "He's talking to Giles about going away" she said, little voice quivering with emotion.

"Spike's going away" Xander grinned, his smile falling when Buffy looked over at him with tear stained cheeks, "Oh, that's too bad" the brunette lied as he put a little blue pyjama clad arm around his friends shoulders.

"He can't leave me" Buffy said firmly, "He's my Spikey, and he loves me, he said so" she nodded, "and...and I'm the Slayer! If I say he can't go then he can't!"

To Be Continued...


	10. Chapter 10

A/N : Well, I finally made this chapter work. I wrote about half then decided I didn't like some of it and then found myself in writer's blockville when I tried to start over! Never fear though, it's starting to look like I'm back on track with this story and I thnkyou all for your patience, and even more so for the fantabulous reviews on the previous chapter.  
Daniel Wesley Rydell, midnightPixie13, Moonjava, lil-leti, vanillagigglez, chanel 5, demonica mills, Spuffy6, Torrchy, Freezyboncoolipants, Anyanka0705, EMBER91, spuffy4eva, Hellmouth2, Brunettepet, Moluvsnumber17, and Arisluv, you guys are all just awesome for taking the time to review.  
Here's hoping this new chapter does not disappoint, as the Season 5 Buffyverse kids crossover with those in the Season 2 Angelverse!  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 10

"The ants came marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah!" Dawn led the next verse of the kids song that should be helping the long car trip to fly past. All they were actually succeeding in doing it seemed was to drive the adults to the point of insanity, Spike most especially who was huddled at the back of the hired mini bus, trying to avoid all shafts of light as the sun had yet to fully set.

Somehow the kids were just as awake now as they had been when the road trip to LA began. Though the occasional yawn was noticed, the children seemed so determined to stay awake for the whole excursion, most especially Buffy who was looking far too pleased with herself in Spike's opinion.

It was now almost twenty four hours since Giles had spoken with Cordelia and discovered that Angel and Wesley had also been turned into much younger versions of themselves much as the Scoobies had. As soon as the kids found out thatSpike, and possibly Giles, were planning a trip to Los Angeles they all decided they wanted to go too, though the adults correctly guessed the mini Slayer had started the trouble. She made no secret of the fact she wanted Spike with her always, if he was going on a trip, she was going too, and that was quite simply that. Xander was not going to allow her to go alone with him, Anya would not be left without her man, and Willow and Tara preferred to have all the group together. Unwilling to upset so many little ones and just desperate to be solving the problems that were increasing all the time, Giles, Joyce and Spike all agreed that everyone would make the trip to Los Angeles, and a mini bus was quickly hired by the Watcher.

"The ants came marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah!" the group of overly-chirpy voices continued as Giles rolled his eyes from his position behind the wheel.

"Any more bloody ants march by me and I swear to God I'll..." Spike began his threat only to be snapped at by Joyce about his language.

"What song do you want us to sing, Spikey?" Buffy asked too sweetly, "I don't think I know any about vampires..." she frowned as she considered it.

"I don't wanna sing about vampires" Xander said firmly, "They're bad and evil"

"I-I d-don't think that S-Spike is evil" Tara said quietly to Willow who nodded that she agreed, though no-one else paid attention if they even heard the softly spoken words.

Spike heard of course with his heightened vampire hearing and appreciated it a lot. He knew the Wiccas liked him well enough on an normal day, but to know they trusted him even as little bits, that was somehow even more special.

"Left here, Rupert" Joyce told Giles as they came to a junction and she followed the LA street map that rested on her knee, "Then right at the next turn and we should be just a little way from the hotel" she smiled, secretly very glad this trip was almost over. As much fun as it was playing Mom to the little versions of the children for a while, trapped in a min bus with them for hours, constantly singing a variety of highly annoying road trip songs was starting to try her patience.

"Ah, here we are" Giles was smiling to as he pulled the vehicle up outside the old Hyperion Hotel and switched off the engine. Before they were even out of the minibus, Cordelia was on the doorstep looking decidedly flustered and more unkempt than anyone had ever seen her.

"Giles, oh thank God" the young woman exclaimed as she ran at him and hugged the man tight, surprising him greatly.

"Er, hello Cordelia" he said awkwardly patting her back, "We came as soon as we could but with all the, er, well, children to consider, as well as Spike..." he explained as Joyce helped the kids get unbuckled from their seatbelts and out of the vehicle.

"Oh my God" Cordy gasped once again as she caught sight of her ex-boyfriend as a six year old, closely followed by little Willow, Anya, and another girl she assumed must be Tara.

Buffy was frowning as she followed her friends off the bus.

"Mommy" she said urgently, "I think there's a demon in there" she pointed into the hotel, looking both wary and yet ready for a smack down.

"Course there's a bloody demon in there" Spike rolled his eyes as he hopped down from the bus beside her, "Little BroodBoy himself, ain't it?" he smirked, hating the idea of encountering his sire again, but loving the fact he'd been reduced to a kid much like the rest of the Scoobies - now that was something he was going to enjoy.

"Spike" Cordelia greeted him curtly.

"Cordelia" he replied, still smirking as his eyes raked over her form, "Still using that fantastic gym of yours I see" he said, making reference to the last time he'd been in LA almost a year ago.

"Save it, BleachBoy" the ex-cheerleader rolled her eyes, not the least bit put off by his compliments anymore. She was a different person to when they'd last met.

"Right then, er, shall we get everyone inside" Giles suggested as he pulled a large pile of books from the minibus and locked it up. Joyce and Dawn ferried all the kids towards the front door.

"Attack!" said a little voice as they entered the building and it's owner was soon running at the group, making a couple of the girls scream. A mini version of Angel came barrelling across the floor, a half-sized sword clutched in his hands and his vamp face firmly on his features.

"Bugger that" Spike said simply as he stepped between the kids and the little Poofter, easily dodging a couple of swings at his lower body before taking the sword out of the boys hand and with one light push knocking the kid on his butt.

"Tell me, Cordelia" the bleached blond smirked at her, "You often leave weapons lyin' about where kids can lay their hands on them?" he asked her, smirk turning into a much more severe look as he walked over to the counter and threw the bladed instrument onto it.

"Aargh!" a squeaky little voice screamed and the assembled group really expected a girl to come running out from behind the counter. Instead it was a frightened little Wesley that emerged.

By this time Angel was back on his feet and about to take another run at Spike who seemed very amused by the whole idea.

"I'm gonna kill you" the little vamp said firmly and the taller of the two smirked.

"Yeah, right" he smirked, "Give it your best shot, you little bugger"

"Hey!" Buffy yelled as she came up behind Angel and got his attention. The second he turned to look at her she spun and kicked him square in the chest sending him flying several feet back. He landed in a heap on the floor, unmoving.

"Buffy!" Joyce sounded none too pleased as she got hold of her daughter and looked sternly at her, "What did you think you were doing?" she asked her as Cordy rushed to the little vampire and checked he was okay.

"I-I was saving Spikey" Buffy told her mother, unsure now as to whether she'd done the right thing at all, "I'm the Slayer, I'm supposed to kill the demons, they're bad"

"Angel's not bad" Cordy snapped, "You know that. Care Bear with fangs, remember?"

"I don't..." the little Slayer began, truly at a loss. Angel seemed familiar somehow and maybe she shouldn't have hurt him without asking Mommy or Giles or Spike if she should first, "I'm sorry" she said, looking shame-faced as Wes ran over to see what had happened to his friend.

"Are we going home now?" Anya suddenly yelled from the back of the crowd, "I'm tired and want to sleep"

"Me too" Willow admitted, as a large yawn escaped.

"We're not going home tonight, guys" Dawn reminded them as she crouched down to their level, "But it'll be fun to stay here, right? At the hotel?" she said, hoping they'd agree. As much fun as these children were some of the time, when they got upset and/or whiney Dawn just couldn't deal.

"There are rooms on the second floor you can use" Cordy called across to Giles, "They're not entirely ready for you, I mean, I kinda had my hands full here with dumb and dumbest but..."

"That's quite alright, Cordelia" the Watcher smiled, "I'm certain we can make do with whatever you have to offer"

Dawn steered the kids on up the stairs, all except Buffy who ran over to where Spike stared amusedly at the bruised and snarling mini-Angel that Cordy was checking over.

"I'm sorry, Spike" the little Slayer said solemnly, tugging on the bottom of his leather coat to make sure she got his attention, "I was trying to save you from the little monster"

"'S alright, little luv" the vampire assured her as he crouched down to her level, "I know you were only doin' what instinct told you to, but..." he paused glancing at Joyce before continuing, "You see, pet, as much as it pains me to say this, Angel's on the side of good. He's not a bad vampire and so you don't go attacking him for fun, alright?"

"I promise" Buffy nodded, diving at Spike before he had a chance to move and hugging him tight around the neck, "but no matter how nice he is, you'll always be my favourite vampire" she promised him.

"Should think so too" he smirked as she let go of him and smiled brightly, "Now get along with you, go with your Mum and get tucked up in bed. Reckon all you lot need some kip by now"

"Okay" Buffy obediently complied and scampered over to the stairs where Joyce waited. She led the little girl up to the second floor, glancing down at Spike over the bannister rail and smiling at him gratefully for what he'd said. He might just as easily have encouraged Buffy's violence towards Angel, after all he and his grand-sire were not exactly the best of friends. Still, he'd been a sensible adult and done the right thing, Joyce was prestigiously proud of him for that.

"Little sod still griping is he?" Spike smirked as he strode over to the other side of the room where Cordy was still checking Angel for injuries and telling him it was okay.

"Hello, he got attacked by a Slayer" Cordelia snapped, "You remember having a big laugh when Buffy was kicking your butt?" she asked the bleached blond who rolled his eyes.

"She barely touched him" he defended his girl, "'Sides kids get bruised from time to time, playing daft games and such. 'S how they learn"

"Be that as it may, Spike" Giles chimed in as he locked up the weapons cabinet, having just put away the sword Angel had previously been using as his weapon of choice, "I am grateful for your words to Buffy" the Watcher admitted, "The less fighting amongst the, er, children, the better I believe"

"Get this soddin' spell reversed and it won't be an issue" Spike pointed out, glossing over the fact Giles had just more-or-less complimented him on his previous actions since it made him uncomfortable.

"Ah, spells!" little Wesley cried suddenly, pelting across the room and into one of the offices. The others waited a few moments and then watched him come running back out again with a book in his arms that was at least half the size of the poor child himself and apparently a little too heavy for him, "Will this be of use, sir?" he asked, looking up at Giles hopefully as he held the book aloft, his little arms shaking with the exertion of supporting a tome too heavy for him to cope with.

"Er, thank you, Wesley" the Watcher stumbled over his words, finding it even more strange to see his ex-colleague as a child than he had when it was the Scoobies running around his feet, "Yes, indeed, I'm sure this will be most useful" he lied as he turned over the book entitled 'Transmographication of Inanimate Objects, Volume Two, Latin translation'.

"Maybe I should get Giles-Wannabe and Captain Courageous here upstairs before the major league mojo gets started up" Cordy realised, getting a hold of Angel's hand and then Wesley's as she moved across the foyer.

"Can I stake him tomorrow?" the little vamp asked her, shooting a nasty look at his much larger grand-childe. Cordelia followed his gaze and smirked.

"Maybe" she half-joked as she took the children upstairs to put them to bed. No doubt Angel would make a fuss again since he was a vamp and by instinct preferred to sleep in the day. Still, it'd be easier if he followed the same pattern as the other kids for now.

"So, where do we go from here?" Spike asked Giles as they were left alone in the hotel lobby.

"To be quite honest with you, Spike, I'm not entirely certain" the Watcher sighed, removing his glasses and rubbing his tired eyes, "Although it would make sense to continue research into the Vengeance Demon world whilst the children are quiet and out of the way, I confess I do not believe my eyes will stay open much longer"

"Must be gettin' old, Rupes" Spike smirked as he spotted a small refrigerator behind the counter and swung around to see if there was any blood in there, he could really use a drink right about now.

"Says he who was born in the nineteenth century" Giles shot back but Spike continued to smirk. It was all good-natured banter between the two of them these days, nothing malicious... well, not usually anyway.

"Tell you what" the bleached blond said, smiling triumphantly as he pulled a container of blood from the fridge and popped off the lid, "You go grab some shut eye with dear old Joyce" he told Giles, "I'll see what I can find in the Poofters book collection about the Vengeance crowd, alright?"

"Thank you, Spike" Giles said warily. Though he was used to the whole gang, including the vampire, working together regularly, it amazed him that in the absence of Buffy, Joyce, and Dawn, those Spike cared for and would actively seek to impress, he would still offer his help when it was needed.Giles didn't have the energy to wonder too much about that now. He quickly said goodnight and trudged up the stairs to find his girlfriend and get some much needed sleep.

Spike chugged down half the container of pigs blood as he walked through to the office and ran a finger along the book shelf as he read the titles.

"Summoning of the Ancient Orders" he read aloud, pulling the volume from the shelf. Vengeance Demons had been around for centuries, even millennia, must qualify as ancient enough an order to be in the book, Spike reckoned. If he was wrong there were plenty more tomes he could have a flick through.

"Tonight's gonna be so exciting" he said sarcastically to himself as he sat down in Angel's chair and propped his feet up on the desk. At least the peace and quiet was refreshing, for as long as it lasted.

To Be Continued...


	11. Chapter 11

A/N : And here was me thinking I had to be writing Spuffy to get many reviews. Seems I can handle a little humourous kidfic well enough to be popular too! Thanx so much to everyone who reviewed; vanillagigglez, Spuffy6, SiriusSpikeLover, Ape18, funkydevil206, EMBER91, Freezyboncoolipants, Hellmouth2, Bruenttepet, boeketjebloemen, Torrchy, PyroChilde, Lori, and Moluvsnumber17 - you all rock so much! Anywho, here's the next chapter..._  
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 11

"Good morning, Spike!" Buffy yelled as she arrived in the doorway of the office next morning. Said vampire had fallen asleep during his research and the mini Slayer's loud voice woke him with a start, causing him to topple from his position in the chair with his feet on the desk. The bleached blond heap on the floor groaned and cursed as he picked himself up, grabbing the attention of the recently awake and dressed little Scooby gang who all came to see what was going on.

Xander laughed like a drain when he saw the vampire getting himself up from the floor and trying to straighten out his coat that had got tangled around his body. Angel forced back a snigger too.

"Stupid idiot" he muttered, only to be lightly smacked upside his head by Cordelia. As much as she agreed with the mini vamps sentiments, the last thing she needed was Spike getting so angry he staked the small version of his old grand-sire, something that would be only too easy right now, especially with Buffy also shrunk down to miniature and not exactly loving Angel.

"When you've finished playing on the floor" Cordelia told Spike, "We're getting breakfast, so if you want blood I suggest you move your butt before I give it all to Junior here"

"Hope you've got more than just the supply I found in your fridge then" Spike smirked as he finally got to his feet, "Cos I drank the soddin' lot last night"

Angel's eyes flashed angry yellow and if Cordy were a demon she knew hers would be doing the same right now.

"He is such a pain in the ass" she muttered as she stormed across the hotel and met Giles coming down the stairs with Joyce and Dawn not far behind, "I'm going to the butchers!" she said exasperately as she pulled on her jacket, "You can deal with them!" she said firmly, jerking her thumb back towards the bunch of kids who had started to riot and Spike who was just emerging from the office with his fallen book in his hand.

"Oh Good Lord" Giles sighed, wincing as Buffy let out a battle cry and ran circles round the foyer, chasing Angel who seemed to think it was more amusing than anything else, despite his encounter with the Slayer the day before. Mini-Wes cowered behind the counter as Anya and Xander pelted past, the little blonde girl yelling every inappropriate sex-related word she could think of as she went. Willow and Tara were watching the whole scene with mixed emotions, trying to figure out where the best and safest place to hide might be as Angel and Buffy careered past and nearly knocked them flying.

"Er, Dawn could you help me watch the children until Cordelia gets back, please sweetie?" Joyce asked her, "Then we'll figure out breakfast if we can"

"Sure, Mom" Dawn forced a smile as they descended into the madness of the entrance hall, leaving Giles still on the bottom step looking pained.

"Alright, Watcher?" Spike called to him as he approached, "Gotta admit, didn't find a whole lot last night" he told the older looking man, "I mean, I thought this book ought to have been a good 'un..." he shook his head as he held it open in his hands just as it had fallen a few moment ago. It was only when he glanced down he realised his immense good luck, "And I was right" he smiled suddenly, "This is a good soddin' book" he grinned.

"What is it you've found?" Giles asked, trying to see.

"Only the bloody spell to summon your demon bint who grants bleedin' stupid wishes for the kiddies!" Spike said triumphantly as he held up the book and pointed to the passage.

"Good heavens, I do believe you're right" Giles agreed as he took the book from the vampires hands and adjusted his glasses on his nose to read the text, "It isn't even an awfully complicated incantation" he noted, "All we would need is a few herbs, candles, and my ability to recite Latin" he mused as he read further down the page.

"Yours truly proves good for somethin' then, eh Rupert?" Spike smirked as the Watcher looked at him.

"Yes, yes, indeed" he agreed though it was almost physically painful to do so, "Er, well done, Spike" he said at length, "I do think we should get this set up as quickly as possible. The sooner we summon this Halfrek person, the sooner this childish din will end!"

* * *

Getting the children to sit still and be quiet long enough for them all to eat breakfast proved to be a much more difficult chore than the simple act of Giles setting up his spell. He slipped out to fetch a couple of ingredients he was short of and Joyce, Cordy, and Dawn did their best with the kids, whilst Spike got a short sleep. He could function pretty well on minimal rest but he'd rather have some than none at all.

He got about half an hours real kip before his sensitive hearing picked up the sounds of stampeding children along the landing outside the room he'd chosen. He picked up the scent easily and knew it was Buffy and Angel out there.

"Oh bugger" he sighed as he got up from the bed, "If she stakes the little sod I'll be in the serious sh..." he muttered, stopping suddenly when he heard the pair of children talking beyond the door.

"You okay?" the mini Slayer asked as Angel stopped running away, making her run headlong into his back, almost taking the pair of them down.

"Spike" he sneered, growling slightly, though keeping his game-face hidden somehow.

"Spike is my friend" Buffy said firmly, folding her arms across her chest, though Spike couldn't see it he could imagine her indignant expression, "More than that, he loves me, and I love him too"

"He's evil!" Angel told her, "Even more evil-er than me, he doesn't have a soul, Buffy!"

"He sooo does!" the blonde shot back, before realising it was true, Spike really didn't have a soul, "Or he doesn't, but he doesn't need one" she said, frowning as she tried to fit it all in her little head, "He..he loves me, and Dawnie, and Mommy, and all of us. He doesn't need a soul, he just loves us anyway and we love him, all of us...'cept Xander" she amended and Spike bit his lip so as not to laugh.

"You love him" Angel said sadly, "You don't love me?"

Buffy looked thoughtful for a long moment before she answered.

"I dunno" she shrugged, "I guess. I mean, I kinda felt bad for almost slaying you before" she admitted, "but you can't be mean to Spikey, or I'll have to fly-kick you again" she warned.

Angel seemed to consider his options before he nodded into an answer.

"'Kay" he said, "I guess that's fair" he forced a smile, though he wasn't happy about it. He'd do whatever he had to if it meant Buffy would be his friend.

"Hey, if it isn't my favourite Slayer and the Bite-sized BroodBoy" Spike smirked as he finally emerged from the room.

"Spikey!" Buffy grinned, her face lighting up like a fairground attraction at the sight of her favourite vampire, "Can we play now?" she asked, bouncing on her heels.

"Not right now, little luv" Spike shook his head as he ruffled her hair, "Uncle Rupes' got some mojo to do and I ought to be there I s'pose. You play with AngelBoy here for a while, alright?"

"Okay" Buffy smiled brightly as she watched the bleached blond stride off down the stairs, his black leather coat swooshing out behind him as he went, "He's so cool" she sighed, as Angel made gagging motions in the background.

* * *

"Hi" Willow smiled as she and Tara went over to where Wes sat cross legged on the floor behind the counter with a book in front of him, "Whatcha doin'?" she asked.

"Oh, um, I was reading" Wesley told them with a nervous smile, "I..I was hoping to help Mr Giles with his spell, but I'm not as good at magic as I would like" he said sadly.

Willow glanced at Tara and the two communicated without speaking a word before the quieter of the two witches looked down at Wes.

"W-we could h-help you to, to l-learn" she stammered, half hiding behind her best friend, who kept a tight grip on her hand at all times.

"Could you really?" Wesley looked thrilled at the idea, "I so want to be a good Watcher"

The two girls nodded and grinned as they sat down opposite the little boy and his book, preparing to give him a little lesson in the power of the magicks.

* * *

Dawn sneaked into the nearest office and pulled the door shut behind her. It seemed her others hadn't noticed that she'd slipped away and she hoped she'd get a few minutes peace before they paid attention to her being MIA.

The kids were fun sometimes, they made her laugh, most especially Buffy when she was practically falling over herself to make Spike pay her some attention. It was cool to see her family and friends as little children, but the noise they made and the trouble they caused, Dawn was fairly certain they had made up her mind for her. As long as she lived she would never wants kids of her own after this, the stress was enough to get to the calmest of people, she was sure.

She peeked through the glass as Anya and Xander chased each other back and forth. By now Buffy and Angel were play-fighting in one corner, though there was more fight than play, and Dawn guessed Willow and Tara were somewhere behind the counter as she saw a pencil rise up into view all of it's own accord.

"They giving you a headache too?" Cordy asked from behind her, making Dawn jump violently.

"Geez, Cordy. Lurk much?" she asked, her hand to her chest, "I had no idea you were there!"

"You hang around the King of Stealth long enough, you pick up a few things" the older woman referenced Angel, smirking as she came to stand beside Dawn.

"I thought it'd be fun having them as kids" the youngest Summers sighed, "but it's not all laughs"

"Preaching to the choir, honey" Cordy admitted, "When I first realised what I'd done, after the initial 'Oh my God what have I done?' moment" she explained, "I thought hey, now I get to be the boss, this is going to be so cool. Turns out playing Mom is way too much like...well, being a Mom" she smiled wryly.

"I was so stupid making that wish" Dawn shook her head, "I just never thought. I mean, you say 'I wish...' all the time, nothing usually happens"

"I know" Cordy agreed wholeheartedly, "Who just decides which wishes get granted and which don't? I mean, hello, where was the demon to grant my wish about the Bahamas and Matthew McConaughey?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest in annoyance, "And believe me when I tell you that was a _good_ wish"

Dawn giggled at that, though she agreed with the sentiment. Her wishes to pass pop quizzes at school never paid off, or the one when she wanted Joey Garver to ask her to dance at Emma Jordan's birthday party in fifth grade...

"Girls" Joyce was forcing a smile as she came into the office where Cordy and Dawn were not doing a very good job of hiding, "Could you two come help me get the kids upstairs out of the way?" she asked them, "Rupert and Spike are going to perform the spell to summon Halfrek now and I don't think we need a group of six and seven year olds in the middle of that"

"Right there with you, Mrs Summers" Cordy smiled fakely as did Dawn as they rolled their eyes simultaneously, following the older woman out to where the kids were running riot still.

* * *

"But Mom..." Buffy whined as she was encouraged up the staircase along with all her friends.

"But nothing, sweetie" Joyce told her firmly, "I told you, Mr Giles and Spike have to do a grown up job for a little while. When they're done, you can come back downstairs and play some more, but just for a little while we're going to stay upstairs"

Though the rest of the kids made some fuss, they were eventually all dragged up to the second floor, some more literally than others, by Cordy, Joyce and Dawn, leaving just Giles and Spike in the entrance hall.

"So" the vampire said from atop the counter where he was sat, What exactly do you need me here for, Watcher?" he asked as Giles sprinkled some herbs into the dish in front of him and referenced the book in hand other hand.

"Er, I did rather think you would be, well, armed and ready" the older looking man suggested, "I have no idea how violent this demon woman may become when we attempt to reason with her. Besides which, I believe only children are supposed to use this spell"

"Little Bit didn't even need a spell" Spike complained as he hopped down from the counter and strode over to the weapons cabinet, selecting a large axe and taking a couple of practice swings with it.

"Right, if you're ready then" Giles was saying when he arrived back at the spot where the spell would be performed.

"Was born ready, mate" Spike reminded him as the Watcher began the ritual.

Smoke seemed to rise up, not just from the bowl of ingredients but all around them, til Giles was coughing terrible. Unaffected since he didn't need to breathe, Spike focused his eyes through the fog, trying to see the Vengeance demon when she appeared. Seemed she wasn't so much into hiding as a large flash brought her into view, clearing much of the smoke at the same time.

"I have been called and Vengeance shall I wreak!" she announced with a flourish as she turned to face her summoners.

The powerful and defiant look fell right off her face as her eyes focused on a man she knew only too well, yet hadn't seen in years.

"William?" she gasped, and Spike groaned.

"Oh, bloody hell"

To Be Continued...


	12. Chapter 12

A/N : Thanx muchly to; demonica mills, Freezyboncoolipants, vanillagigglez, Hellmouth2, SiriusSpikeLover, funkydevil206, boeketjebloemen, Archnemeses, Daniel Wesley Rydell, Brunettepet, nikstarr, Arisluv, Torrchy, Ape18, Moluvsnumber17, Alliegirl, and MaidenRo, for all the awesome reviews. I have some problems with writing this story, I think I'm much better at angst and romance and stuff, still I am determined to finish it both for myself and all of you guys.  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 12

Buffy was feeling very proud of herself as she escaped from the confines of the hotel room and bolted for the stairs. It didn't take much to persuade her friends to distract Joyce and Dawn so she could sneak away. She wanted to spend time with Spike, and she was also very curious to know what was happening with him and Giles and whatever spell they were doing.

The little Slayer was surprised when she reached the bottom of the stairs and found not just her Watcher and the vampire she adored standing in the entrance hall but also a woman with dark curly hair and a veiny face. Seemed she was a demon and Buffy was immediately worried the demon-woman would try to attack her man.

"Spikey?" she called to him, but he didn't seem to hear her, his back to her as he stared at the mystery girl. Her face dissolved from the demon visage to that of a human woman.

"How the soddin' hell did you...?" Spike began, frowning hard as he stared at a woman he hadn't seen in a hundred and twenty years.

"I could ask you the same thing" she smiled slightly, stunned by the sight of him.

"Spikey!" Buffy called more urgently, not liking the fact he was ignoring her. When he finally paid attention to her he did not look happy.

"Not now, Buffy!" he snapped at her, before looking straight back at Halfrek, who continued to stare in wonderment at a man she believed should be dead.

As Joyce came down the stairs, ready to give Buffy a stern telling off she met her daughter bolting up the other way in floods of tears and dutifully went after her to find out what was wrong.

Downstairs, Giles glanced between Spike and Halfrek as they stared at each other, the axe in the vampire's hand slipping between his fingers and falling to the floor.

"Er, might one ask... do you two know each other in some way?" the Watcher checked and Spike nodded slowly.

"Yeah, could say that" he said, eyes never leaving Halfrek's face, "Bloody lifetime ago" he smiled.

"Quite literally" she agreed, "How've you been William?"

"Good" he nodded, "Vampire mostly..." he mumbled as he fought to hold on to his bad ass attitude and not let out the mumbling fool he was deep inside, the man he'd been when he'd last looked upon her face, "Cecily" he said, the word feeling strange in his mouth, "How the bloody hell did you end up a soddin' Vengeance Demon?" he asked her, astonished by the concept.

"Er, perhaps we could save the catching up for later?" Giles suggested, coming to stand between the two, Spike's forgotten weapon held in his hand just in case things got ugly as they were prone to do amongst demons, "There is a rather more pressing matter at hand than old demon tales"

"'S not demon tales, Rupert" Spike rolled his eyes, "Me and Cecily here, when I say a lifetime ago I mean just that. We were human when we knew each other"

"Vengeance demons start out as humans?" the Watcher frowned, "Good Lord, I had no idea"

"It's true" Halfrek told him, "I was just a little slip of a thing when I met D'Hoffryn, not more than twenty..." she said, patting her hair, as Spike snorted.

"Twenty my ass!" he challenged, "You were twenty-five when I was turned you lying chit!" he reminded her.

"Moderate your tone, William" she told him sternly, "The power of the wish is not the only power I have"

"You want a smackdown, woman, you say the word" Spike told her with an angry glare, "Nobody I'd rather take apart than the woman who's cruel words led to my death"

"Oh yes, let's talk about that night" Halfrek smiled, folding her arms over her chest, "Let's tell your friend here about the man behind the vampire's badboy complex" she challenged and Spike gave her a warning look as she goaded him, "Come along, William whatever are you afraid of?"

"Not afraid of anything', you silly bint" he said, getting in her face, "And it's Spike now, not poncin' William"

"Spike?" Halfrek laughed out loud at that one, "Oh not _the_ Spike, unholy grand-childe of Angelus, Scourge of Europe?" she giggled, "Oh dear sweet little William, look what's become of you. One of the darkest demons to walk the Earth" she said, her laughter dying as she stared at him, looking into his eyes, "Some friends of mine would be proud of me, knowing what I helped to create. You do have quite a fan club you know" she told him, her hand going to his shoulder and running down his arm, "At least you did, until you began to kill your own kind"

Spike knocked her hand away and had the axe out of Giles hands in one swift movement, levelling it at Halfrek's throat.

"No!" Giles yelled frantically, "Spike, think about what you're doing" he said, putting a hand on his arm and stilling any movement he might make, "We need her" he said firmly, making eye contact with the vampire who gave in and moved the axe away a moment later.

"You need little old me?" Halfrek asked amusedly, "Sorry sweetie, but I work to a strict set of rules and you don't qualify as worthy of my services" she smiled.

"Already had enough of your bleedin' services" Spike snapped, "Overheard somethin' said by a girl I know, granted a bloody stupid wish and made my woman and all her mates three feet soddin high, didn't you!"

"I couldn't possibly say" Halfrek shrugged her shoulders slightly as she inspected the nail polish on her right hand, "It would depend upon who this girl is that you know"

"Dawn!" Spike yelled up the stairs, "Little Bit get your backside down here now!" he bellowed and the teen soon did as she was told.

"Geez, Spike, loud much?" she rolled her eyes, "What's the big?"

He didn't answer her as she followed him down to the entrance hall and they faced Halfrek.

"Dawn Summers" he presented her to the demon woman, "Remember her? In Sunnydale, wishing big sis and her mates knew what it felt like to be the littlest?"

Dawn had the good grace to look ashamed of herself, her eyes going to her feet. She'd caused all this trouble and as much as she did find it slightly amusing to see Buffy and the Scoobies running around as kids, she knew neither Spike nor Giles felt that way. Even her mother was beginning to lose patience, and now here was a demon who was causing trouble for them all.

"Ah yes, I remember you" Halfrek smiled, "Well, aren't you the cutest little thing?"

"Little ain't the word now, is it luv?" Spike said, giving Dawn a look.

"Not anymore" she sighed, "Buffy still gets more attention than me even if she is little" she muttered and Halfrek took in every word, "I want my wish reversed" Dawn told her, "I want the gang back to how they were, at least I got some time to myself that way"

"C'mon then, Cecily" Spike snapped at her, "Kid here says she wants everything reversed, and I know Cordelia feels the same about her stupid wish. Get to it then, like a good little demon"

"Dear William" Halfrek sighed, "Despite your changes you're still terribly naive"

"Changes? William?" Dawn glanced at him, wondering what she'd missed, Spike just shook his head dismissively as he stepped towards Halfrek.

"You listen here, bitch" he said nastily, "Just about done bein' polite to you and Lord knows you never gave me any reason to years ago never mind now" he reminded her, "You're gonna change those kids back, and you're gonna go it now, before I get real pissed off and make you"

"And if he doesn't, we will" said Cordelia from half way up the stairs. She and Joyce looked so angry right now, if thunderbolts and lightening had shot from their eyes nobody would've been shocked.

"Oh look, the cavalry" Halfrek smirked as the kids ran ahead of their sitters, "How sweet"

"Hallie, how could you!" a little voice demanded to know, pushing her way through the little crowd to face the demon woman.

"Oh my... Anyanka?" she gasped at the sight of her old friend reduced to the size of a six year old.

"I don't like being this size!" she snapped, "I'm short and under-developed, and commanded around by people taller than me. I'm over a thousand years old damn it!"

"Anyanka, sweetie" her old friend smiled, "I had no idea you were one of the Slayer's friends these days. Good Lord what's happening to everybody?" she asked, eyes flitting between the little version of Anya, and Spike.

"Enough talking, now turn them back already" Cordelia demanded, hands on hips as she glared at the Vengeance demon. Halfrek glared back at first before a sickly sweet smile broke through.

"Er, no" she said, pretending to think about her answer before giving it, "You made a wish, honey, and you can't take that back. You want someone to blame for what's happened to your friends here, you look in a mirror, because this is all your doing, yours and little Dawnie here"

"I am not little!" the brunette protested, "Why does everyone always say that!"

"And it was that sort of stupid thinking that got us in this mess in the first place, Bit" Spike warned her, "So do us a favour and hush your noise, will you?"

"My, my, William, you really have changed" Halfrek smiled, "So very much the man in charge these days"

Buffy saw red as the demon woman made eyes at Spike and she ran full pelt at her, kicking her hard in the ankles.

"You're mean, and nasty, and you can't have Spike, he's mine" she cried, raving at Halfrek's feet. In one swift movement, the demon brought back her leg and kicked the child away. Buffy fell back into Willow and Tara making all three land on their backsides, looking very upset.

"You bitch!" Spike snapped, his game face slipping into place as he went at the woman whom he once professed to love, smacking her across the face til her demon face showed too. The fight was on and to her credit the girl who's name was once Cecily gave as good as she got.

"Spike, no!" Giles yelled, "If you kill her, how will we ever get Buffy and the others back to normal?" he shouted over the noises of the scuffle.

"Not gonna kill her" he promised, turning to look at the Watcher, Halfrek held firmly against the wall by the throat, "Just gonna bruise her a whole lot" he added menacingly as he pounded on her some more.

When she was finally unconscious he let her fall to the floor, her veiny visage fading away as she lie there. Spike looked down at her and felt strangely sick. The beautiful face of his once most dear and effulgent Cecily was battered and bruised almost beyond recognition, wounds of his infliction marring her skin. Though most of him was still so angry about what she'd done to him so many years ago, and the pain she'd caused his precious girl just seconds before, a tiny part of him wanted to die for having harmed her.

"Spike?" Buffy said in a small voice as she freed herself from Joyce's grasp and walked over to him and the unconscious demon. He glanced at the little Slayer without thinking and immediately turned away when she gasped.

"Sorry, little luv" he apologised, "Shouldn't see me like this" he said, shaking his head.

Buffy walked around him, til she could see his face again and she smiled as she beckoned for him to come down to her level.

"I'm not scared of your angry face" she told him solemnly, "I love you even when you get mad" she assured him and if he were less of a man Spike might've cried at the sweet innocence of it all.

"Nice to know, pet" he said softly, pulling her into a hug, "Even this size, you're a hell of a woman y'know" he smiled as she hugged him back.

To Be Continued...


	13. Chapter 13

A/N : Thanx to; vanillagigglez, Ape18, funkydevil206, Brunettepet, SiriusSpikeLover, Moluvsnumber17, Anyanka0705, nikstarr, Torrchy, Freezyboncoolipants, EMBER91, Lori, lil-leti, Daniel Wesley Rydell, kim, spuffy4eva, and Arisluv, for all the mega reviews. Not far to go with this fic now, just a few more chapters I reckon.  
(_For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 13

William the Bloody had a hell of a reputation for violence and blood-shed, as his name might suggest. First he tortured and murdered humans, and lately demons felt his wrath, but today was one of the few in which he was far from proud of his achievement. He'd fought another demon, no shame in that, especially after what she'd done to his woman and her mates. The problem was she whom he had beaten down was far from a stranger, or random adversary, she was in essence the first woman he ever loved.

The irony was not lost on Spike that Cecily, now known as the Vengeance Demon Halfrek, would be one of the few to know the truth behind his originally Bloody handle. Now she was the one covered in the red stuff that kept so many alive. He could've killed her, and it was more than just Giles words of warning that stopped him. The sight of the beaten and bruised face of one who he held so dear a life time ago still stung his heart, the image burned on his retinas as he sat now in the hotel bedroom, staring into space.

So lost in thought was Spike, he didn't acknowledge Dawn's presence in the room despite the fact he was aware she was standing beside him.

"I thought you might need some blood" she said, holding out a mug to him, "I heated it and everything" the littlest Summers said proudly when he looked at her, "98.6" she grinned.

"Thanks, Bit" Spike forced a smile as he took the mug from her. He glanced at the contents and then put the mug down on the floor by his feet, "No offence, pet, but I'll leave it for now. Don't have much of an appetite" he admitted.

"I thought you would, after the fight" Dawn frowned, leaning on the table across from the bed where he sat, "You showed that demon girl who was boss, you so totally whaled on her. She's still out cold" she smiled, but Spike didn't.

"Yeah, I did a great job" he sighed and the teenager shook her head not understanding what his problem was.

"I don't get it" she admitted, "You totally showed her who's boss, and when she comes around she'll have to change the gang back..."

"'S not the issue, Nibblet" Spike interrupted, "She's more than just the demon that granted your stupid bloody wish" he said, looking over at her, "She's the reason I exist, luv"

Dawn shook her head, frowning because she still didn't know what he was trying to say and Spike sighed before he explained.

"I'll tell you this, pet, but only cos I know it goes no further" he said firmly and she nodded he was right, she would never betray his confidence, "It was a long time ago, back when I was still human. Her name was Cecily and, and she was my world. I loved her, and I told her that, but she was too good for me. Told me so too, told me I didn't mean anything to her, and that bloody hurts to hear" he winced even now at the memory of how much pain it had caused him to be told he was beneath the woman he adored. Clearing his throat he continued his tale, "Anyway long story short, I was hurt, left this party we'd been at so as I could be alone, lick my wounds and what not, and that's when Dru found me"

"And turned you?" Dawn asked a little nervously. Spike talked about the past, but usually it was horror stories of blood and mayhem. To hear how someone had hurt the human him, and that had led to him being turned into a vampire, it was strange and kind of intense. Dawn wasn't sure whether she was about to see her friend cry or just smash up the room, and either option seemed pretty scary right now.

"She did" Spike nodded, "She made me a monster that night, somethin' I still would be now, if not for your sister" he smiled, "See, she did the high and mighty thing pretty well too, but with our little trip to kids-ville last year, kind of evened things out as you might say, put us on a level footing"

"But now you and Halfrek or Cecily or whatever, now you're better than her, stronger and stuff" Dawn told him, "Shouldn't that feel good"

"Probably should, Bit" Spike agreed, "Not so sure it does though" he realised, putting his face in his hands and sighing.

"Does Buffy know" Dawn suddenly asked, "I mean, about how come you got turned and everything"

"Not exactly" Spike shook his head as he looked up at her, "Things get mentioned over time but she never asked and I never told her. 'S not a nice thing to talk about is it? How your other half got vamped"

"I dunno" the girl shrugged, "I don't understand the whole evil thing so well. I mean, Angel had a soul but when he lost it he couldn't love Buffy anymore. You're supposed to be soulless but you love her just fine, maybe even more than Angel did. She sure cries a lot less now she's with you" she smiled, "You make her happy, and I like having you around" she told him, blushing a little when he grinned at her confession.

"You're a good girl, Bit" Spike told her, putting at arm around her shoulders, hugging her to him and kissing the top of her head, "Other than your sister, you're the only one I'd trust with what I just told you" he said, "You can keep a secret, right?"

"Oh sure" Dawn nodded madly, almost clocking him in the chin as she moved away a little, "Cross my heart, and hope to..."

"No, pet" Spike stopped her, "Not here and now, not with wish granting demons about. You be careful what you say" he warned her, "Simple promise'll do just fine"

"Okay" she nodded, "I promise, I won't tell, not ever"

"I know you won't, sweetheart" Spike smiled, reaching for the mug of blood she'd brought up for him, "Know I can trust you, that's why I told you. You're more of a grown up than you realise, you know that?"

That got a grin out of Dawn as her vampire friend drank down his blood, finishing just as the door swung open to reveal Joyce.

"Hey, what are you two hiding up here for?" she asked them.

"Spike was just... telling me a story" Dawn smiled, it was only a half-lie since it was a story, just a true one, "Is she awake yet?" she asked, enquiring after Halfrek and Joyce nodded.

"That's why I came to find you" she agreed, "Spike, Rupert thinks they might need you if she gets loose at all"

"Get's loose?" the vampire frowned, as he got to his feet with Dawn still by his side.

"Well she seemed so violent and dangerous, we thought we should tie her up" she explained, "It made a good game for the kids too, although I'm not certain duck-tape the demon to a chair is a usual party favourite" she considered.

"Never know, might take over from pin the tail on the donkey" Spike smirked as he came out of the room with Dawn and the three of them headed down stairs, "Give it a little Helmouth twist and all that"

"Ah, Spike, Dawn, we wondered where you'd got to" Giles greeted them as they descended the stairs.

"Spikey!" Buffy came barrelling at him, "They wouldn't let me come find you" she told him, shaking her head and making her pig-tails swing violently, "They said they needed someone strong to guard the demon, so I had to do that"

"Bet you did a bloody good job too" Spike smiled, as she hugged his legs, "Want me to take over now?"

Buffy looked thoughtful before she answered.

"We can both do it, together" she grinned, "That'd be cool"

Spike couldn't be bothered to argue with her, and he certainly didn't want to upset her. He let her stand with him near where Halfrek was bound to the pouffe seat in the Hyperion lobby by so many yards of silver-coloured duck-tape that the kids had a great time binding her with. The little Wiccas and mini-Watcher seemed to have disappeared somewhere, Spike noticed as Anya and Xander sat in the corner together and Angel looked daggers at him across the room. It would seem he'd been Buffy's friend whilst Spike himself was otherwise engaged, and now her 'boyfriend' was back she had no use for the little brooding one. As daft as it was that made Spike smile, the mini vamp with the soul looked so pissed at him right now, and at three feet tall there was little to nothing he could do to his grand-childe.

A groan from Halfrek startled him from his thoughts and not really knowing how strong she would be, how able to break free from her bonds, Spike went for the weapons cabinet and pulled out an axe, striding back over to where his one-time love was now stirring.

"You feeling like reversing some wishes yet, bitch?" Spike asked her nastily, his foot on the seat next to her and axe within view.

"William" she sighed, wincing slightly from her injuries, "You think the attempts of a mere vampire to injure me would make me take back what I've done?" she laughed despite the fact it hurt a great deal to do so, "The pain D'Hoffryn inflicts on those that do not make their quota... even you, the great William the Bloody, could not understand"

"This D'Hoffryn you speak of" Giles asked, approaching the demon carefully, "He is your leader, yes?"

"He is the head of our household" Halfrek nodded, "He rules over us, and loves us all"

"Loves you?" Spike scoffed, "Yeah, course he does" he said sarcastically. Halfrek turned to look at him once again, not at all pleased.

"You thought you were the only demon that could love?" she checked, knowing even now she could push his buttons all too easily.

"Shut your gob" the vampire told her angrily and whilst Giles had no idea what the exact situation was between these two, he really had no wish to find out. He knew how violent Spike could become and if Halfrek were to be accidentally killed the Scoobies, plus Angel and Wesley, might never be anything but the little children they now were.

"I disagree, Spike" he said carefully, "I would rather our friend here did some talking, preferably casting a spell to reverse the wishes she granted for Dawn and indeed Cordelia"

"I've explained, I can't" Halfrek told him sharply, "Dawn's wish made up my numbers for this month and without it... I won't face consequences of that magnitude for you or anybody" she said looking at the Watcher and then at Spike, "As for your friend, Cordelia, that was not my doing"

"Hey, what's that about?" Spike frowned.

"Yeah, what the hell is that?" Cordy asked as she overhead what was being said and stormed over to the demon-woman, "You granted that wish, you had to have"

"I really didn't, honey" Halfrek smiled, "These days I work strictly for the little ones, and you don't fit the bill"

"Is she lying?" Cordy asked Spike who shook his head.

"Could be, luv" he admitted, "Dunno for sure"

"I do" said a little voice suddenly and the group of adults turned to see Anya behind them, with Xander permananetly stuck to her side like always, "See, Vengeance Demons have certain jobs, and they can grant wishes to anyone but they don't usually. I dealt mostly with scorned women, Hallie has a thing against bad parents"

"So is there like a Vengeance against Bosses and stuff kind of a demon?" Cordelia asked the general group of people around her, feeling a little weird if she stared at mini Xander too long - she used to date him after all.

"Um..." Little Anya looked thoughtful before suddenly grinning and yelling up at the ceiling, "Isadora! Hey, Isadora, get down here now!"

There was a crash like thunder throughout the lobby, then a blinding flash followed by a haze of smoke that eventually cleared to reveal a young dark-skinned woman with her arms folded across her chest.

"What do you think y'all doin' calling me when I'm busy tryin' to make my quota?" she complained, "Oh my God" she gasped a the the sight before her, "Halfrek, honey, is that you under all that tape and bruising" she laughed, apparently amused by the situation.

"Oh great" Spike sighed, "Two of them to contend with" he said as the Vengeance demons glared at each other, "This is going to be interesting"

To Be Continued...

A/N : I invented the character of Isadora, she actually belongs to me and not Joss... You think he would trade for Spike? ;-)


	14. Chapter 14

A/N : Big thanx to my reviewers; spuffy4eva, demonica mills, Hellmouth2, PltnmDancer, Robin93, Brunettepet, kim, Torrchy, vanillagigglez, Moluvsnumber17, Ape18, Anyanka0705, Arisluv, nikstarr, lil-leti, and Daniel Wesley Rydell. So glad you all love this fic so much, but I have to tell you we're very close to an ending. This is the penultimate chapter, so just one more and an epilogue after this. Hope you like.  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 14

"Y'all wanna tell me what I'm doin' here now?" Isadora demanded to know and little Anya pushed through the crowd of grown ups to stand before her old acquaintance.

"I summoned you" she said brightly, "Halfrek says she didn't fulfil the tall, loud one's wish"

"Hey!" Cordy protested at that but the mini ex-demon paid her no attention as she continued.

"Did you do it?" she asked simply as Isadora's eyes narrowed, "Issy, did you?" she repeated when she got no answer.

"Anyanka?" she gasped suddenly, "Damn it, girl, is that you in that teeny tiny little body?"

"Oh for bloody hell's sake!" Spike exploded angrily, "Yes, she is soddin' Anyanka, reduced to bite size by your friend over here, along with the rest of this bleedin' mob!" he explained, overly loudly, "You seem to have been playin' copy cat and turned this one here's two work mates into sprogs too, so would you kindly both just change everybody back to their proper height, before I lose my soddin' temper!" he bellowed, clearly having passed Reasonable-ville about two exits back.

"Okay, first off, who the hell does this guy think he is?" Isadora asked the assembled group, pushing her hand out palm facing Spike as she turned away from him, "Second, she ain't no friend of mine" she pointed out, gesturing vaguely at the still bound Halfrek, "and third, you really so dumb you think I'm gonna reverse wishes just cos you say jump? Not a chance in hell, baby" she snapped.

"I could give you a chance in Hell if you want" Buffy said angrily, "I'll slay you if you don't do what Spikey says!" she yelled up at the large dark-skinned demon, who looked human enough right now.

"Damn, child, you got some power packed in that little body, dontcha?" she smiled, "Still you start throwing any little punches my way I still gonna land you on the other side of this building"

"You come near her, and I'll kill you" Spike said, side stepping in front of the mini Slayer, eyes flashing gold.

Isadora looked like she was about to laugh and Hallie shook her head.

"He will, Isadora" she warned, "When he loves he does so fully, and will die before he allows anyone to harm those he cares for" her tone was less the Americanised demon she'd become and so much closer to the young Englishwoman she'd once been, it took Spike by surprise and when he turned to glance at her, Isadora saw her opportunity and smacked him across the face, sending him reeling back.

As the vampire made to come back at her, the demon woman began muttering something foreign to almost everyone else in the room. With a flourish of her arms she seemed ready to disappear, to teleport away as Vengeance Demons are want to do, but she didn't go anywhere.

"What the...?" she swore, finding herself still in the lobby of the Hyperion when she opened her eyes. Spike was equally as stunned to find he hadn't needed to stop his advance on her, she wasn't going anywhere after all.

"Who's messing with my mojo here?" Isadora demanded to know, swinging around and looking nastily at the group. Joyce and Cordy held all the children away from her, hoping to keep them safe but ultimately knowing there was very little they could do against the demon woman.

"Angel, no!" Cordelia made a grab at him but he moved too fast and ran at Isadora's legs. She batted him away with ease and he went crashing into the wall with a thud. Cordy ran to check on him and something made Buffy follow to make sure he was okay. Nobody had yet realised that Willow, Tara, and Wesley were slightly less quiet than they had been behind the counter. Joyce had thought it best not to draw attention to them, since it was less likely they'd get hurt that way, still she stood in front of the counter just in case and suddenly realised they were not just talking softly anymore, but chanting something.

"What?" Spike said suddenly, looking around as if trying to locate a person that might have spoken to him, but no-one had, "Bloody hell, how did you...?"

"Spikey?" Buffy frowned as she ran back to his side, satisfied that Angel was fine in Cordy's care, "What's wrong?" she asked him desperately, tugging on the bottom of his coat when his attention did not immediately focus on her.

"Gettin' real bored, real fast, kids" Isadora pointed out, speaking to the whole room more than just the children - they were all so insignificant to her.

"You really are some piece of work, y'know that?" Spike said suddenly trying not to grin as he wound her up, "Vengeance Demons, think you're so bleedin' high and mighty" he continued as he walked around her, taking her attention with him. The rest looked on wondering what he was doing, all accept Joyce who had since caught a little of what the kids behind the counter had been saying. It was all starting to add up for her.

Willow and Tara were still witches no matter how small, and between them and Wesley they'd come up with a plan to stop Isadora, and Halfrek too. For the second part of the spell they needed to get within throwing distance of the demon women, and that was why they'd had to tap into Spike's mind and talk to him telepathically. He was the only one who could safely distract Isadora. If she turned on him it was unlikely she could kill him, the others were not so invulnerable.

"Bloody wish givers, think you're so much better than the rest of us with your 'powers'" Spike air-quoted, "Gotta work for a bleedin' boss though haven't you, luv? Gotta do your bit, fill your quota, or it's..." he made a slicing motion with his finger across his throat to illustrate his point and Isadora tilted her chin in the air.

"You don't know nothin'" she said firmly, "What we are, what we do, it's for a greater purpose than you'll ever have, BloodSucker" she sneered, but Spike just smirked, not caring what insults she threw at him right now.

"Greater purpose, eh?" he echoed, keeping her attention and signalling in his head to Willow that now would be the time to execute her plan.

With an unexpectedly loud war cry Wesley came hurtling around the side of the counter towards both Isadora and Halfrek, flinging his arms out as he reached them. Some sort of dust or powder flew out of his hands, getting on both the Vengeance Demons. They were too stunned to realise what was happening, as Willow and Tara stepped into view, hands clasped as they looked towards the assembled group of people and demons, chanting softly.

"What the hell is this!" Isadora demanded to know.

"Demonstration of o_ur_ greater purpose" Spike told her smugly, as Willow and Tara completed their words and an orange mist swirled around first Isadora and then Halfrek too. The two little Wiccans grinned happily as the mist wound into rope-like strands, tying tight around the two demons bodies until they could not move.

"Good heavens" Giles said astonished at what was happening as the rest of the group looked on.

"Oh, pretty" Anya smiled as the orange bounds around her former friends flashed darker and darker, turning to red and then black as they became solid, tying arms and legs down, making it impossible for Isadora to move and strengthening Halfrek's bonds.

As Willow and Tara finally went quiet, Wesley rushed back from his hiding place. Though he had every faith in his little witch friends he hadn't fancied being in the firing line had the spell not worked. He had thrown the powder on the demons, they might want revenge for that - they were Vengeance Demons after all.

"Well, aren't you two just the stars of the show" Spike smirked at Willow and Tara, the first of whom looked terribly pleased with herself, the other blushing from embarrassment as she kept hold of her friends hand and practically hid behind her.

"What exactly have they done?" Giles was keen to know as Buffy went towards Isadora and poked her in the knees, amused by the fact the demon seemed to be completely stuck in one position, not only held by ropes but glued to the one spot on the ground where she stood.

"Get away from me you little runt!" she yelled, making the Slayer jump. Over her shock fast, Buffy's face hardened and she kicked the demon woman hard in the ankle, knowing she couldn't hurt her back.

"Little Wiccas here did a bit of mojo for us" Spike smirked as he watched the little Slayer messing with Isadora, "With help of their Watcher friend of course" he added as he spotted Wes carefully weaving his way through the many people in the lobby, towards Willow and Tara.

"It worked" he said delightedly as the red-head nodded.

"It's a binding spell" she smiled, as she looked over at the grown-ups, "We wanted to help... We did help, right?" she checked.

"Yes, sweethearts, you did" Joyce assured them with a smile, "Having them still is very helpful"

"But it doesn't get our wishes reversed" Cordy pointed out, earning a scathing look from Mrs Summers as Tara, and Willow too, looked a little tearful that their efforts meant so little all of a sudden.

"But you did a great job" Cordelia back pedalled. She could do without the hassle of an argument, and crying kids right now.

"We could do more" Wesley said excitedly, "A controlling spell!" he cried in an almost-Eureka like moment that lasted just a second before he turned to Willow and whispered, "Can we do that?". She glanced at Tara before nodding it was totally possible and Wes went right back to grinning when he found that he'd said something useful and that the whole room's attention was on him, in a good way.

"You sure about this, Little Bits" Spike asked, crouching down in front of the two girls, "Bloody powerful even in bite-size, I know that, can see it from here" he smirked, glancing over his shoulder at the bound demons whom Buffy and Angel were having great fun torturing, "but this is a big ask"

"W-we can do-do it" Tara stammered, much more confident in her magic ability than anything else. Willow nodded her agreement and Spike got back to his feet, looking over at Giles and Joyce.

"What say you, Watcher?" he asked him, "Reckon you wanna take a shot at having the Wiccas and Watcher Jnr go abracadabra on Pinky and Perky over here?"

"Well" Giles removed his glasses and polished them on the edge of his shirt, "I cannot see how they could make matters worse" he mused, "After all, neither Halfrek nor indeed Isadora seemed likely to reverse the wishes by any other means, and Willow and Tara have more than proven their, er... abilities have not been affected by their, well, condition as it were"

"Reckon that means yes, Mum?" Spike asked Joyce with a amused look, she smiled herself as she nodded.

"I would think so" she agreed.

"Right then" the vampire clapped his hands as he turned back to the kids, "Let's get to it"

To Be Continued...


	15. Chapter 15

A/N : Muchos gracias to my wonderful reviewers; spike dragon, spuffy4eva, Brunettepet, Hellmouth2, Daniel Wesley Rydell, Ember91, Ape18, Becomingwhaturmeanttobe, PltnmDancer, screaminheathen69, SiriusSpikeLover, vanillagigglez, sirc, Freezyboncoolipants, nikstarr, Moluvsnumber17, and Lifes-Slayer. All of you rock entirely! Here is the (almost) end to this story, I really hope you all like it!  
_(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)_

Chapter 15

"We're ready" Willow nodded, holding tight onto Tara's hand.

They were standing in the centre of the Hyperion lobby, in front of the still bound Isadora, and Halfrek who had been released from the tape that held her and was now tied by only magical ropes too. Spike stayed close with a sword in his hand just in case something went wrong. Buffy and Angel were so desperate for a good brawl but the adults had decided against letting them help, it was too risky even with their extra strength.

Joyce, Giles, Dawn and Cordelia were up on the landing/balcony overlooking the scene with Xander, Anya, Buffy, and a rather disgruntled Wesley peeking around them to see what was happening. The little Watcher had hoped to be a part of this spell as he was the previous one, but the mini Wiccas didn't actually need him for it and it was deemed equally as dangerous for him to take part in this as the other children.

Besides, Spike couldn't protect everybody if something went wrong, it was responsibility enough watching the backs of the two remaining children, against a pair of Vengeance Demons. If they got free and fancied to rip him a new one, even Spike himself wasn't one hundred percent certain he could take them, but being the only adult present with powers, he daren't tell anyone else that.

"Go for it then, Little One" the vampire told Willow, who glanced at the nervous Tara and offered a reassuring smile. They seemed to communicate without the need for words and then their eyes turned from each other to the still bound demon women whose mouths had been taped shut for the foreseeable. Their complaining and threat-making had got on everybody's nerves.

A string of Latin words fell from Tara's lips. It was a little strange to hear her voice alone in the room and louder than ever before. Spike knew why of course. At age six Willow had known nothing of magic and her abilities with it, whilst her girlfriend was born into the arts. It was a while back the blonde Wicca had confessed to Spike she might be part demon, something she felt safer telling him than the others. He'd proven her theory to be wrong of course, one simple smack up the back of the head that made her merely wince but caused him to double over with intense pain. His chip fired, she as was human as her friends, case closed. Still she knew of spells and the power of magicks from the youngest of ages, something the whole group were grateful for now.

A light mist seemed to form above the heads of Halfrek and Isadora, like a black cloud focused only on them, though the droplets that first appeared to be falling from the cloud soon showed themselves to be moving against gravity. It was as if something were being sucked out of the demons, something dark and angry in shades of deep red and grey that was almost black. The cloud crackled with dark energy and power and Spike heard movement on the balcony as Xander hid behind Buffy, worried by what was occurring.

"Be gone!" Willow yelled suddenly, clapping her hands together.

With a crash like thunder the cloud burst in a flash of light and was indeed gone as the witch had instructed.

"Er, that it then?" Spike asked a moment later as he glanced between the still bound demons and the kid-witches. Nothing looked any different than it had before the spell, but the light show proved something had occurred.

"They'll do anything you want now" Willow grinned happily, "They can't lie or cheat or be bad if you tell them not to" she explained, "but just for now. The spell won't last forever"

"How long we got?" Spike checked, lowering his sword to his side now it seemed there was to be no danger.

"U-until the s-s-sun s-sets" Tara muttered, her big loud spell-doing voice all gone away, leaving the shy little whisper of hers behind.

"Right then" Spike smirked, looking up at the group standing on the balcony, "You lot wanna come down here and we'll do some spell reversing?"

* * *

Both Isadora and Halfrek gasped in air as the tape was removed from their mouths. The kids had been kept back, away from them til Spike was sure the spell had worked. Now satisfied it had he released their binds before ordering them to sit down which of course they obediently did. Spike smirked, loving the power he had and finding it almost amusing as the kids did when he ordered the demon women to stand and sit and hop on one leg.

"Spike, I think that's enough" Giles told the vampire, although he too found the situation a little humorous.

"What happens now?" Buffy asked as she hurried to her vampire's side. She hated having to be the whole ten feet away from him for the past few minutes. Of course it wasn't simple telling a child you were about to do a spell on her and her mates to turn them into adults. As far as the mini Slayer was concerned she was supposed to be this height and this age, despite the fact she had some memory of her time as a grow-up.

"Er, Watcher" the vampire said awkwardly, deciding a change of plan was in order, "Reckon this'll work even if the, er, subjects are elsewhere?" he asked, with a look that Giles thankfully picked up on.

"Oh, um, oh, yes" he said after a moment, "After all it did work last time and it might be less distressing if they're kept away so..."

Joyce watched her boyfriend dither a moment before stepping in.

"Okay, kids, upstairs" she said ushering them towards the stairs once again, "Anya, Xander!" she called as they made to run off together.

"Can't I stay with Spike?" Buffy pouted, "Pleeeaaase" she stretched the last word out to at least three times the length it ought to have been and Spike rolled his eyes as he crouched down to her height.

"Listen here, little pet" he told her, "You go with your Mum now, be a good girl, and when I'm all done with these... ladies here" he said with a look, "you and me can spend as much time as you want together, yeah?"

"Yay!" Buffy squealed delightedly at the prospect of spending all her time glued to Spike's side. She flung her arms around the vampire's neck and squeezed tightly, glad when he hugged her back before releasing her and telling her to go with Joyce, Dawn, and Cordy. She scampered off and Spike watched her go with an amused smile. She was a cute kid, and in some strange way he would miss her when all this was over, but he knew his gladness to have his woman back in his arms would far out-weigh that.

Soon there was just Giles and Spike left alone with Halfrek and Isadora.

"Right then, _ladies_" the vampire said sarcastically, turning to the two Vengeance Demons who did not look at all amused, "Reckon we've got some wish reversing to do"

* * *

"I should go and check that it's worked I supposed before we allow them to leave" Giles said after the wishes had been taken back by first Halfrek and then Isadora. Spike nodded, knowing he wanted a word with Halfrek, or Cecily as he knew her, anyway. He didn't actually need the Watcher to go and check on the gang, he knew the spells had worked.

By the time Giles had put one foot on the stairs, Spike could sense the shift in both Buffy's essence and that of his grand-sire to whom he would always be connected, no matter how much he wished he wasn't. He'd sent Rupert away so he could speak to Cecily, there was something he needed to know and in this state she had no choice but to tell him the truth.

"You can piss off now, Isadora" he told the other demon, "and since you have to do as you're told I know you won't ever come back here again, you'll leave me and mine alone for the rest of eternity, got it?" he asked and she dutifully nodded, seething inside but unable to show it, "Right then, get away with you" he snapped and in a flourish she was gone.

"As for you, Cecily" he said looking down on her where she sat, "Got a question for you. How long you been a demon, pet?" he asked and she glanced away when she replied.

"Almost as long as you have been a vampire" she admitted, sounding much more like her original English self right now, "It was within a month of your death that D'Hoffryn came to me and offered me this life"

"You were human when I... when I cared about you?" he said, leaving love out of the equation right now. It wasn't as if it should really matter anymore. He no longer loved Cecily, his heart belonged to Buffy and always would, but these things would only play on his mind if he did not sort them out now.

"I was human when you knew me" he confirmed, "but William... I confess it was because of you I turned to vengeance" she said, looking almost ashamed of herself for it, "My father forbade me to return your affection, however much I wished too"

"Your father... forbade...?" he echoed the beginning of her sentence trying to take in what she was saying. Spell be damned he only had to look into her eyes to know it was true, but he was so stunned. Cecily had cared for him, he wasn't beneath her at all, at least not in her eyes, just in her father's opinion.

"Your Dad didn't think I was good enough for you?" he checked, just to be sure and Halfrek nodded.

"I was to marry someone of wealth and status" she told him, "We were not as rich as many perceived us to be, and though I cared for you I could not have confessed it. When news of your death came to light I felt wretched. Some said it must've been suicide after my refusal of you, and I blamed first myself and then my father" she admitted, "He was so unfeeling, the whole affair meant little or nothing to him. He had me courted by rich men from whom I was to choose a husband, and all this when I wished to be left alone to grieve a man I cared so much for"

Spike was reeling from her words and sat in shocked silence for a few moments. Cecily had actually had feelings for him of some kind all those years ago. It was quite strange to realise that if only she had told him of her real emotions back then, William might never have died at the hands of Drusilla and become the vampire he was now. He might have lived a rather happy if uneventful life with a wife and kids, all the normal stuff that happened to regular people that were not turned in barns by crazy vampire women.

"Ironic really, ain't it?" he smirked suddenly as he looked at her, "If not for your refusal of me, I might have lived, might never have been the demon I am now, and if I'd not died, you wouldn't have got your scorn on and become what you are either"

"Things could have been very different" Halfrek nodded, and Spike almost thought he saw tears in her eyes, "Still, you are happy now. Even without a truth spell I see in your eyes the love you hold for the Slayer"

"True enough" Spike smiled, looking towards the stairs that he had no doubt Buffy would come down at any second, his woman, his Slayer, his one true love.

"She is more worthy of you than I might've been, William" Halfrek told him, putting her hand on his arm. He would've accused her of lying if he did not know that was impossible right now.

"You were a hell of a woman, Cecily" he replied, putting his hand over hers for a second, "but you and me, wasn't destined to happen, pet" he told her, "Fates saw fit to keep us both in the world longer than mortality should allow. I found my purpose, you found yours, all's right with the world"

She smiled and nodded her head, agreeing with what he said.

Back in the day, they might've made a match and been happy, but it hadn't happened and life went on. She adored her job, had no real need for the constant companionship of a man. He had Buffy, and a good cause to fight for. As Spike said, all was right with the world.

"Off you pop then, luv" he said suddenly releasing her hand and giving her a little shove, "No use you hangin' around now. Not unless you fancy a bunch of recently switched back Scoobies chopping you into messes"

"Goodbye, William" Halfrek said softly, before muttering an incantation and disappearing from sight.

"See ya, pet" he said to the empty space beside him, glad to have things sorted out with the silly bint he'd once adored. Now he had a new love in his life, one he'd missed terribly these past few days. He felt her presence long before her hand landed on his shoulder, but it was only when she spoke that he turned, swept her into his arms and kissed her senseless.

"I was gonna ask if you were okay" Buffy gasped when he finally ended up his assault on her lips, "but you didn't exactly give me a chance to breathe" she smiled, not in any way disliking the greeting.

"'M more than okay, luv" Spike told her, holding her impossibly close and tucking her hair behind her ear as he drank in the face he'd missed so much, "'M bloody thrilled to have you back like this" he said, moving in to kiss her once again.

"Glad to be back" she said breathlessly when they broke apart again, smiling as they sat down together where Spike and Halfrek had been just a moment ago, though all thoughts of the Vengeance Demon had left his head right now.

"I missed you so bloody much, pet" he sighed, grinning like an idiot as he kept a hold of her still, "Bloody torture havin' to baby-sit the little kid version of you, when I knew if only that soddin' wish hadn't got granted I could have the real you"

"The wish" Buffy sighed, "Yeah, Dawn is so gonna get yelled at for that"

"Don't be so hard on her, luv" Spike shook his head, "The Bit made a mistake, she knows it, but she suffered because of it too. Reckon she hated playin' Big Sis. Might even have given her an appreciation for how tough it is for you, lookin' out for her all the time"

"Maybe" Buffy shrugged, not entirely convinced, "Giles said you knew the demon that did this" she said suddenly remembering the gabbled explanations of her Watcher in the few minutes between her transformation back to her adult self and coming downstairs to find Spike.

"Yeah" Spike smirked, "Funny story, even loved her once" he admitted, making Buffy frown, "but that was a life time ago, pet" he assured her, hand cupping her cheek, "Got you now, and I love you so much, I couldn't ask for anymore, wouldn't even want to" he told her, kissing her softly and resting his forehead against hers, "God, I missed you" he repeated, actually quite surprised by how hard it had really been, and what a heavenly relief it was to have her back here with him now.

"Me too" she smiled, leaning into his touch, "It was so weird, I mean, I was six years old and everything but somehow it was like the real me, the grown up me was in there too, she just couldn't figure out how to get out"

"I remember the feeling" he nodded, "Bein' a kid had it's upsides once before though, if memory serves" he smirked, referencing their adventures as five year olds last year under Willows botched spell, "Got us two together, didn't it?"

"It might've been more fun if you'd got changed this time too" Buffy told him, "Angel was okay but I'd rather have been chasing you" she said, eyes sparkling with fun as she kissed him again. They pulled apart abruptly when they realised they were being watched.

"Hey" Dawn smiled nervously, offering a little wave as she looked at her sister, "You're not gonna slay me are you?" she checked as Buffy got to her feet, finally breaking contact with Spike, just for a little while.

"No, I'm not" the Slayer admitted, hugging her little sister, "but if I ever hear you say that four letter word with the W again I might just" she warned as they pulled apart.

"I'm sorry, Buffy" Dawn apologised looking suitably shame faced, her eyes going to the floor, "I just wanted to... I don't know, it's just, you have these friends and this way important job, and like the best boyfriend ever" she smiled somewhat shyly at Spike, "and sometimes I feel like I'm just this annoying kid who doesn't even matter" she admitted in a small voice, making Buffy frown.

"Dawnie, of course you matter" the Slayer assured her, pulling her into another hug to reinforce her point, "You're my sister and I love you"

"I love you too" the younger girl replied, "and I get it now" she nodded, "Spike helped"

"You did?" Buffy looked strangely at her boyfriend who shrugged, not understanding what exactly he'd done.

"You trusted me" Dawn remained him, "told me stuff, talked to me like I was important, maybe even as important as Buffy"

"You are, pet" Spike told her, getting to his feet and putting an arm each around Dawn and Buffy's shoulder, "You both mean the world to me" he assured them, "just in different ways is all"

"I get it, I do" Dawn smiled, as the vampire placed a kiss on her forehead, "And I won't be wishing for anything else any time soon, I swear" she promised faithfully as the rest of the gang filtered down the stairs to join them.

"That's a good thing" Buffy smiled as they broke apart and turned to the rest of the gang.

"Well, look at you lot" Spike smirked, before turning to Giles and Joyce with a smirk on his face, "Don't they grown up fast these days?"

The End... but there's still a sweet Spuffy epilogue to go!

A/N2 : Hope the ending didn't disappoint, although like I said there is an Epilogue still to go. I should have that ready to post tomorrow, and I have another chapter of 'My Girl' on the way for those of you that are interested. I just can't stop writing lately!


	16. Epilogue

****

A/N : Woah, nine reviews in twenty four hours? You guys rock! So glad the 'ending' was well accepted, so far anyway, and here's hoping you like the Spuffy Epilogue too. Big thanx to; funkydevil206, Ember91, Brunettepet, kim, LiLi, Arisluv, spuffymonica, sirc, and spuffy4eva for the reviews and to everyone who has reviewed any or all of the chapters of this fic. I've loved writing this and am so glad you all enjoyed reading it.

__

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Epilogue

It was almost two months since Buffy and her friends had been reduced to six years olds after a couple of wishes gone wrong. Today actually marked the day that Spike and Buffy had returned from their first trip to Throwbacks-ville, one year ago now. That day had been the one when they became an official couple to, making today their first anniversary.

Joyce was staying over at Giles' place, and Dawn had taken little convincing to sleep at Janice's house tonight, giving Buffy and Spike the house to themselves when they returned from the restaurant where they'd had a romantic meal. Letting patrol slide for one night, the Slayer and her vampire went straight back to Revello Drive and were now in each others arms, slow-dancing in the living room to the romantic music from the stereo.

Buffy admired the eternity ring on her finger that Spike had presented to her at dinner. She adored it and had cried like a baby, feeling a little less stupid when she gave him an engraved lighter promising all her love forever, and swore she saw a tear in his eye too.

Spike was slightly surprised when he felt her body start to shake in his arms. He'd assumed she was getting emotional again but when he pulled away slightly to see her face he realised she was actually laughing.

"Something amusin' you there, pet?" he asked her curiously and Buffy tried to calm herself down.

"It's nothing, I... I was just remembering" she admitted, "When we were both kids it was weird, but when it was just me... Spike you tried so hard and I made your life hell" she laughed harder as she recalled it.

"That you did, pet" he smiled, also able to find it more amusing now it was over, "Bloody weird havin' you still in love with me when you were three feet high"

"But you were so sweet" Buffy smiled up at him, "You played soccer with me, and you so let me win, didn't you?" she accused.

"Might've" he conceded as they continued to slowly sway to the music.

"And you were so sweet to Willow and Tara, and Anya even" Buffy recalled, resting her head on his shoulder once again.

"Yeah" Spike said, kissing her hair, "and you were bloody jealous as hell" he whispered in her ear, making her head shoot up so fast she nearly broke his jaw, but thankfully narrowly missed hitting him by an inch or so.

"No way!" she protested, but the look on his face said he didn't believe her at all, "Well, maybe a little" she admitted with a smile, her eyes dropping to the carpet.

"Needn't've been, Slayer" Spike told her, lifting her chin with his finger til she was looking at him again, "You don't ever need to be jealous of anyone, cos I love you, more than I ever loved anyone" he said so sincerely and with such an intense look in his eyes, Buffy felt like she could hardly breathe.

"I know" she whispered as they drifted even closer together, "I love you too" she said moments before his lips covered hers, and he pulled her close as they kissed with some considerable passion.

"God I missed that when I was bite-sized" she gasped a moment later, not in any hurry to move out of Spike's embrace.

"Not the only one, luv" he told her, running his fingers through her hair, "You were a cute kid and all" he smiled, "but you weren't you, be sort of sick if I thought you were..."

"This is me now" she interrupted, not needing to hear so many words right now, just wanting to be close to him, "This is the real me, all woman" she reminded pressing her body to his.

"I noticed" he said softly before his lips attacked hers again, hands roaming over her body. His fingers tangled in her hair, whilst his other hand found the gap between her skirt and blouse, his cold touch making her shiver deliciously as he backed her up towards the couch. Buffy ended up lying down with Spike above her, his lips and fingers causing a hundred different and very pleasant sensations to run through her body. God she wanted him, so much it hurt and she could feel just how much he wanted her too.

"Spike..." she gasped, when his lips left hers to kiss a path around her throat, "I don't..." she began, finding that making a sentence was extremely difficult when he was doing these beautiful things to her. All too suddenly he stopped and pulled away assuming that was what she wanted from the negative beginning to her unspoken sentence. He sat up, pulling her up with him and glanced away.

"Sorry, pet" he apologised, "I wasn't thinking"

He hated himself for pushing her, she'd told him several times she wasn't ready to go that far yet, but when they kissed sometimes he just got lost in all she could make him feel with a simple touch. He loved her like he'd never loved anyone else before, and he wanted her so damn much. He was on his feet and facing away from her as he tried to be calm. He felt her hand on his shoulder and he half-turned back to look at her.

"Spike" she said softly, "I wasn't going to ask you to stop" she told him as he turned around completely and looked confused, "I was... I was going to say, I don't want you to stop" she said shyly, looking down at the carpet and then back up into his eyes. She couldn't read his expression, and it didn't seem like he was going to say anything, which wasn't helping at all. Any kind of reaction would've been better than his silence. Not knowing what else to do she slid her hand into his and moved towards the stairs, taking him with her. She glanced back at him from the first step and he looked seriously at her.

"You sure about this, luv?" he checked, really wanting to do this, but determined not to let it happen if she wasn't ready. He'd hate to think she would do it for his sake, force herself when she'd rather not. Though he doubted she would do that he'd rather check than wreck what they had, it meant to much to him.

"I'm sure" Buffy said softly, nodding her head but looking a little nervous anyway, "It's not so weird" she shrugged, a slight smile on her lips, "I mean, we've been sharing a bed since we were kids, right?" she joked, but Spike couldn't laugh, this was too serious.

"Buffy, this isn't a joke, pet" he pointed out, "I just want to..."

"Ssh" she hushed him, putting a finger to his lips, "I know, but I'm ready. I want this. I want you" she told him, putting her lips to his and proving how certain she was, before leading him upstairs to her room.

They both knew she was nervous, and though he'd never admit it Spike was a little bit too. He'd slept with enough women, it wasn't as if he didn't know what he was doing but this was Buffy, this was the woman he loved more than anyone else in his entire existence. Now they had a chance to prove that love they felt in a physical way and neither of them had ever know anything so beautiful as when they finally made love together.

Afterwards, they fell asleep in each others arms, swapping promises of love for eternity as they close their eyes. Buffy smiled as she drifted off to sleep. She wasn't a child anymore, in any possible way. Spike made her feel like a woman, and the most loved woman in the world at that.

The End

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A/N2 : And that's all she wrote! For this fic anyway. I still have three other WIPs to finish and a whole bunch of new ideas swirling around in my head that I plan to write at some point. In the meantime, reviews are always v. much appreciated.


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